•NRLF 


LIBRARY 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


GIFT    OF 


PROF.  W.B.  RISING 
Class 


UNCLE    RUTHERFORD'S 
NIECES 

A   STORY   FOR   GIRLS 


BY 


JOANNA   H.  MATHEWS 

Author  of  "The  Bessie  Books,"  "Uncle  Rutherford's  Attic,'1 
"Breakfast  for  Two,"  etc. 


"  For  ruling  wisely  I  should  have  small  skill, 
Were  I  not  lord  of  simple  Dara  still." 


WITH  ORIGINAL  ILLUSTRATIONS 


NEW  YORK 

FREDERICK    A.    STOKES    &    BROTHER 
1888 


COPYRIGHT,  1888, 
BY   FREDERICK  A.  STOKES   &   BROTHER. 


DEDICATED   TO 

HERBERT     HUNT, 

WITH  LOVING  AND  BEST  WISHES  FOR  HIS  FUTURE  YEARS, 

ON  HIS  BIRTHBAY, 

AUGUST  6,  1888. 


237407 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I.  PAGB 

AN  ARITHMETICAL  PUZZLE 7 

CHAPTER   II. 
A  CABLEGRAM 27 

CHAPTER  III. 
AN  ARRIVAL 47 

CHAPTER  IV. 

"FOOD  FOR  THE  GODS" 71 

CHAPTER   V. 
THE  "MORNING  BUGLE" 89 

CHAPTER  VI. 
UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  PRIZE 107 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Two  PEANUT-VENDERS 129 

5 


6  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VIII.  PAGE 

NOT  ON  THE  PROGRAMME 151 

CHAPTER  IX. 
MATTY 173 

CHAPTER   X. 
A  COLD  BATH 195 

CHAPTER  XL 
FIVE  DOLLARS 219 

CHAPTER  XII. 
CAUGHT  IN  THE  ACT 241 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
MATTY  is  PROVIDED  FOR 261 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
JIM'S  CONFESSION 285 


CHAPTER  I. 


AN    ARITHMETICAL    PUZZLE. 


UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S   NIECES. 


CHAPTER   I. 

AN    ARITHMETICAL    PUZZLE. 

A  SUNNY  and  a  dark  head,  both  bent  over  a 
much-befigured,  much-besmeared  slate,  the  small 
brows  beneath  the  curls  puckered, — the  one  in 
perplexity,  the  other  with  sympathy ;  opposite 
these  two  a  third  head  whose  carrotty  hue  be 
trayed  it  to  be  Jim's,  although  the  face  appertain 
ing  thereto  was  hidden  from  my  view,  as  its  owner, 
upon  his  hands  and  knees,  also  peered  with  inter 
est  at  the  slate.  Wanderer,  familiarly  known  as 
"Wand,"  —  the  household  dog,  and  the  inseparable 
companion  of  my  little  sisters,  —  lay  at  their  feet, 
as  they  sat  upon  a  low  rustic  seat,  manufactured 
for  their  special  behoof  by  the  devoted  Jim ;  its 
chief  characteristic  being  a  tendency  to  upset, 
unless  the  occupant  or  occupants  maintained  the 
most  exact  balance,  a  seat  not  to  be  depended 
upon  by  the  unwary  or  uninitiated,  under  penalty 
of  a  disagreeable  surprise.  To  Allie  and  Daisy, 
however,  it  was  a  work  of  art,  and  left  nothing  to 

9 


10  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES, 

be  desired,  they  having  become  accustomed  to  its 
vagaries. 

Such  was  the  picture  which  presented  itself 
to  my  view  as  I  came  out  on  the  piazza  of  our 
summer-home  by  the  sea,  and  from  that  point  of 
vantage  looked  down  upon  the  little  group  on  the 
lawn  below. 

But  the  problem  upon  which  all  three  were 
intent  had  evidently  proved  too  much  for  the 
juvenile  arithmeticians ;  and,  as  I  looked,  Allie 
pushed  the  slate  impatiently  from  her,  saying,  — 

"  I  can't  make  it  out,  Jim  :  it's  too  hard.  You 
are  too  mixed  up." 

"  Now,  Miss  Allie !  an'  you  with  lessons  every 
day,"  said  Jim  reproachfully.  "Should  think  you 
might  make  it  out." 

"  I'm  not  so  very  grown  up,  Jim,"  answered  the 
little  girl;  "and  I've  not  gone  so  very  far  in  the 
'rithmetic ;  and  I'm  sure  this  kind  of  a  sum  must 
be  in  the  very  back  part  of  the  book." 

"Here  comes  Bill,"  said  Jim,  as  a  boy  of  his 
own  age  and  social  standing  appeared  around  the 
corner  of  the  house,  a  tin  pail  in  one  hand,  a 
shrimp-net  in  the  other.  "Maybe  he'll  know. 
Mr.  Edward's  taught  him  lots  of  figgerin'.  Come 
on,  Bill,  an'  help  me  an'  Miss  Allie  make  out  this 
sum.  You  ought  to  know  it,  bein'  a  Wall-street 
man." 

Allie  said  nothing ;  but  I  saw  a  slight  elevation 
of  her  little  head  and  a  pursing  of  her  rosy  lips, 


AN  ARITHMETICAL   PUZZLE.  II 

which  told  me  that  she  did  not  altogether  relish 
the  idea  that  a  servant-boy  might  possess  superior 
knowledge  to  herself,  although  he  might  be  nearly 
double  her  age.  Allie's  sense  of  class  distinctions 
was  strong. 

Having  faith  in  his  own  attainments,  however, 
the  "Wall-street  man"  —  this  was  the  liberal  in 
terpretation  put  by  Jim  upon  his  position  as  office- 
boy  to  brother  Edward  —  deposited  his  pail  and 
net  upon  the  ground,  and  himself  in  a  like  humble 
position  beside  his  fellow-servant  and  chum.  He 
might  be  learned,  but  he  was  not  proud  by  reason 
thereof. 

"Nowle's  see,  Miss  Allie,"  he  said;  "what  is 
it  you're  tryin'  to  figger  out  ? " 

"  It's  Jim's  sum  ;  and  I  can't  see  a  bit  of  sense 
in  it,  even  when  it's  down  on  the  slate,"  answered 
Allie,  still  in  a  somewhat  aggrieved  tone.  "  He's 
as  mixed  up  as  a  —  as  a  —  any  thing,"  she  con 
cluded  hastily,  at  a  loss  for  a  simile  of  sufficient 
force. 

"  As  a  Rhode-Island  clam-bake  when  they  puts 
fish  an'  clams  an'  sweet-potatoes  an'  corn  all  in  to 
once,"  said  Jim. 

"At  once,  not  to  once  ;  and  they////,  not  they 
puts"  corrected  Allie,  who,  remarkably  choice 
herself  in  the  matter  of  language,  never  lost 
sight  of  a  slip  in  grammar  on  the  part  of  our 
protigts. 

"  Seems  funny,  Miss  Allie,  that  you,  that's  so 


12  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

clever  in  the  right  ways  of  talkin',  can't  do  a  sum," 
said  Jim. 

Allie's  self-complacency  was  somewhat  restored 
by  the  compliment ;  but  she  still  answered,  rather 
resentfully,  — 

"  Well,  I  can,  a  decent  sum  !  I  had  five  lines 
yesterday,  and  added  it  all  right,  too  ;  but  a  sum 
like  that  —  I  b'lieve  even  brother  Ned  couldn't 
do  it ! " 

That  which  brother  Ned  could  not  do  was  not 
to  be  compassed  by  man,  in  the  opinion  of  the 
children.  And,  as  if  this  settled  the  matter,  Allie 
rose  from  her  seat,  forgetting  for  the  moment  the 
necessity  for  keeping  an  exact  equilibrium,  and 
that  both  its  occupants  must  rise  simultaneously, 
unless  dire  results  were  to  follow  to  the  one  left 
behind.  The  usual  catastrophe  took  place:  the 
vacant  end  went  up,  and  Daisy  was  thrown  upon 
the  ground,  the  seat  fortunately  being  so  low  that 
her  fall  was  from  no  great  height ;  but  the  rickety 
contrivance  turned  over  upon  the  child,  and  she 
received  quite  a  severe  blow  upon  her  head.  This 
called  for  soothing  and  ministration  from  an  older 
source,  and,  for  the  time,  put  all  thought  of  arith 
metical  puzzles  to  flight ;  but  after  I  had  quieted 
her,  and  she  rested,  with  little  arnica-bound  head 
against  my  shoulder,  Jim  returned  to  the  charge. 

"  Miss  Amy,"  he  said,  a  little  doubtfully,  as  not 
being  quite  sure  of  my  powers,  "bein'  almost 
growed  up,  you're  good  at  doin'  up  sums,  I  s'pose." 


AN  ARITHMETICAL  PUZZLE.  13 

Now,  arithmetic  was  not  altogether  my  strong 
point,  nevertheless  I  believed  myself  quite  equal 
to  any  problem  of  that  nature  which  Jim  was 
likely  to  propound;  and  I  answered  vain-glori- 
ously,  and  with  a  view  to  divert  the  attention  of 
the  still-sobbing  Daisy  from  her  own  woes,  — 

"Of  course,  Jim.  What  do  you  want  to  know? 
No,"  declining  the  soiled  slate  which  he  proffered 
for  my  use,  "  I'll  just  do  it  in  my  head." 

"You're  awful  smart  then,  Miss  Amy,"  said 
Bill,  admiringly. 

But  the  question  set  before  me  by  Jim  proved 
so  inextricably  involved,  so  hopelessly  "mixed 
up,"  as  poor  little  Allie  had  said,  that,  even  with 
the  aid  of  the  rejected  slate,  it  would,  I  believe, 
have  lain  beyond  the  powers  of  the  most  accom 
plished  arithmetician  to  solve.  No  wonder  that 
it  had  puzzled  Allie's  infantile  brains.  To  recall 
and  set  it  down  here,  at  this  length  of  time,  would 
be  quite  impossible ;  nor  would  the  reader  care  to 
have  it  inflicted  upon  him.  Days,  weeks,  and 
years,  peanuts,  pence,  and  dollars,  were  involved 
in  the  statement  he  made,  or  attempted  to  make, 
for  me  to  work  out  the  solution  thereof ;  but  it 
was  hopeless  to  try  to  tell  what  the  boy  would  be 
at;  and,  indeed,  his  own  ideas  on  the  subject  were 
more  than  hazy,  and,  to  his  great  disappointment, 
I  was  obliged  to  own  myself  vanquished. 

"What  are  you  at,  Jim?"  I  asked.  "What 
object  have  you  in  all  this"  —  rigmarole,  I  was 


14  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

about  to  say,  but  regard  for  his  feelings  changed 
it  into  "troublesome  sum?" 

Jim  looked  sheepish. 

"Now,  Miss  Amy,"  broke  in  Bill,  "he's  got 
peanuts  on  his  mind  ;  how  much  he  could  make  on 
settin'  up  some  one  in  the  peanutTbjisiness,  an' 
gettin'  his  own  profits  off  it.  But  now,  Miss,  did 
you  ever  hear  of  a  peanut-man  gettin'  to  be 
President  of  the  United  States,  an'  settin'  in  the 
White  House  ?  " 

"  I  believe  I  never  heard  of  any  peanut-man 
coming  to  that,  Bill,"  I  answered,  laughing  ;  "but 
I  have  heard  of  men  whose  early  occupations  were 
quite  as  lowly,  becoming  President  in  their  later 
years." 

"  An'  I  ain't  goin'  to  be  any  peanut-man,"  said 
Jim.  "  I'm  just  goin'  to  stick  to  this  place,  an' 
Miss  Milly  an'  her  folks,  till  I  get  eddication 
enough  to  be  a  lawyer.  I  find  it's  mostly  lawyers 
or  sojers  that  gets  to  be  Presidents  ;  lawyers  like 
Mr.  Edward.  Miss  Amy,"  with  a  sudden  air  of 
apprehension,  "you  don't  think  Mr.  Edward 
would  try  to  cut  me  out,  do  you  ?  He  might,  you 
know ;  an',  bein'  older  an'  with  more  learnin',  he 
would  have  the  start  of  me." 

"  I  do  not  think  that  Mr.  Edward  has  any 
ambition  to  be  President,  Jim,"  I  answered, 
reassuringly.  "You  need  have  no  fear  of  him." 

For  to  no  less  a  height  than  this  did  Jim's 
ambition  soar,  and  he  had  full  faith  that  he  should 


AN  ARITHMETICAL  PUZZLE.  15 

in  time  attain  thereto.  In  his  opinion,  the  day 
would  surely  come  when,  — 

"  The  Father  of  his  country's  shoes 
No  feet  would  fit  but  his'n." 

And  it  was  with  a  single  eye  to  this  that  his  rules 
of  life  were  conformed.  The  reforms  which  he 
intended  to  institute,  mostly  in  the  interest  of  boys 
of  his  own  age  and  social  standing,  when  he  should 
have  attained  to  that  dignity,  were  marvellous  and 
startling.  No  autocrat  of  all  the  Russias,  no 
sultan,  was  ever  endowed  with  the  irresponsible 
powers  which  Jim  believed  to  appertain  to  the 
position  he  coveted  ;  but,  to  his  credit  be  it  said, 
these  were  to  be  exercised  by  him  more  for  the 
benefit  of  others  than  for  himself. 

But  he  repudiated,  now,  the  idea  that  the  peanut 
venture  upon  which  his  mind  was  dwelling  had 
any  thing  to  do  with  his  future  honors. 

"  Brother  Edward  would  not  be  so  mean  to  you, 
Jim,"  quoth  Allie,  who  was  standing  by  my  knee. 
"You  spoke  first  to  be  President,  and  he  would 
never  do  such  a  thing  as  to  take  it  from  you." 

"  And  Jim  is  not  thinking  about  that  when  he 
tries  to  find  out  that  sum,"  said  Daisy,  raising  her 
little  bandaged  head  from  my  shoulder;  "he  is 
quite  nice  and  pious,  sister  Amy,  and  wants  to  do 
a  very  right  thing." 

"  'Tain't  for  pious,  neither,  Miss  Daisy,"  said 
Jim,  who  rather  resented  the  imputation  of  being 


1 6  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD 'S  NIECES. 

influenced  by  motives  of  that  nature.  "  'Tain't 
none  of  your  doin'  good  to  folks,  nor  any  of  that 
kind  of  thing ;  it's  on'y  to  animals,  cause  I'm 
sorry  for  'em." 

"  0  Jim,  what  grammar ! "  sighed  Allie. 
For  Jim,  when  excited  or  specially  interested,  was 
apt  to  lapse  into  the  vernacular  against  which  he 
and  his  friends  were  striving ;  Allie  in  particular 
setting  her  face  against  it,  and  constituting  herself 
his  instructress  and  monitress  in  grammar  and 
style. 

"  Can't  help  it,  Miss  Allie,"  said  Jim.  "  Can't 
keep  grammar  an'  'rithmetic  into  my  head  both 
to  once  ;  leastways,  not  when  the  'rithmetic's  such 
a  hard  one  as  this." 

The  excuse  was  accepted  as  valid ;  and  Jim  and 
the  matter  which  was  now  agitating  his  mind,  both 
being  at  present  in  high  favor  and  held  in  great 
interest,  any  further  lapses  were  suffered  to  pass 
without  correction  or  remark. 

Jim's  love  for  and  sympathy  with  all  animals, 
especially  such  as  were  feeble  or  disabled  in  any 
way,  was  a  well-known  trait.  A  maimed  or  other 
wise  afflicted  dog,  horse,  cat,  or  bird  was  sure  to 
meet  with  more  favor  in  his  eyes  than  the  most 
beautiful  and  perfect  of  its  kind ;  and  he  had  a 
horror  of  shooting  birds  or  other  game,  which  was 
quite  remarkable  in  a  boy  of  his  antecedents. 
He  even  questioned  the  right  and  expediency  of 
killing  animals  for  food,  although  he  never  objected 


AN  ARITHMETICAL   PUZZLE.  I/ 

to  partaking  thereof  when  it  was  set  before  him. 
Fish,  only,  seemed  to  him  legitimate  prey  in  the 
way  of  sport ;  and  for  all  noxious  insects,  snakes, 
or  vermin  of  any  description,  he  had  a  perfect 
hatred,  setting  at  naught  the  principles  of  the 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty,  and  really 
taking  a  most  reprehensible  delight  in  tormenting 
them,  altogether  at  variance  with  his  feeling  for 
other  creatures. 

"Bill,"  I  said,  turning  to  that  youth  as  the  most 
practical  and  clear-headed  of  the  group,  "  tell  me 
if  you  know  what  it  is  that  Jim  desires  to  find  out, 
and  the  rest  of  you  keep  silence,  and  do  not 
interrupt." 

"Well,  Miss  Amy,"  answered  Bill,  "it's  just 
this.  Jim  was  readin'  in  the  newspaper  about  a' 
old  lady,  how  she  left  all  her  money  —  an'  she'd 
worked  hard  for  it  too,  makin'  a  show  of  herself 
on  account  of  bein'  so  fat  —  to  keep  a  hospital  for 
all  sorts  of  hurt  an'  sick  animals  an'  birds  ;  an' 
Jim,  he's  just  about  as  much  took  up  with  animals 
an'  natur  an'  things  of  that  kind  as  she  must  ha' 
been,  even  if  he  ain't  so  fat ;  an'  he's  got  it  on  his 
mind  to  set  up  his  own  hospital,  an'  let  Tony  Blair 
an'  his  sister  Matty  keep  it  an'  take  care  of  the 
animals.  Tony's  lame,  you  know,  and  Matty's 
hunchbacked,  an'  can't  work  ;  so  it's  kind  of 
beginnin'  on  the  two-legged  animals  —  at  least, 
Tony's  only  one  legged,  but  he  has  a  right  to  be 
two,  an'  it's  a  help  to  them,  too." 


1 8  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

Poor  Tony  Blair,  with  his  deformed  sister,  had 
formerly  been  associates  and  chums  of  Bill  and 
Jim,  in  the  days  when  these  last  had  themselves 
been  young  vagabonds,  waifs,  and  strays,  buffetting 
with  a  hard  world ;  and  that  sentiment  in  Jim, 
which  was  "took  up  with  animals  an'  natur,"  had 
led  him  to  befriend  the  helpless  creatures,  and  to 
do  them  such  kind  turns  as  fell  in  his  way.  Over 
whelming  modesty,  or  a  desire  to  hide  his  light 
under  a  bushel,  were  not  distinguishing  character 
istics  of  Jim  ;  but  Bill  also  had  borne  ample  testi 
mony  to  the  fact,  that  many  a  time  in  the  old  days 
Jim  had  deprived  himself  of  a  meal — illy  come 
by,  it  might  be  —  to  give  it  to  the  little  cripples, 
poorly  provided  for  by  a  drunken  father  and  ill- 
tempered  mother  to  whom  they  were  naught  but 
a  burden.  Many  a  faded  and  limp  bouquet,  dis 
carded  by  some  happier  child  of  fortune,  did  Jim 
rescue  from  the  ash-heap  and  bring  to  Matty,  who 
had  a  passionate  love  for  flowers  ;  and  not  seldom 
during  the  spring  and  summer  months  would  he 
take  a  long  trudge  into  the  suburbs,  and  gather 
wild  blossoms  to  gratify  the  craving  of  the  little 
hunchback.  On  one  of  these  occasions  he  stole 
a  little,  fluffy  chicken,  which  had  wandered  from 
its  mother's  guardianship  beyond  the  garden  pal 
ings  of  a  small  cottage,  and,  hastily  buttoning  it 
beneath  his  worn  jacket,  made  off  as  fast  as  his 
feet  would  carry  him  to  bestow  his  prize  upon 
Matty,  who  had  expressed  a  longing  desire  for  a 


AN  ARITHMETICAL   PUZZLE.  19 

bird.  But  the  stolen  gift  brought  naught  but 
distress  to  Matty's  tender  heart ;  for,  when  the 
ragged  jacket  was  unbuttoned,  the  little  yellow 
ball  fell  lifeless  into  Jim's  hand. 

"  I'm  sure  I  thought  he'd  got  lots  of  air  to 
breathe,"  said  Jim,  wofully  gazing  at  his  victim, 
while  Matty's  tears  bedewed  it ;  "  there's  holes 
enough  in  my  jacket  to  make  it  as  ventilatin'  as 
a'  ash-sifter,  an'  it  was  awful  mean  in  him  to  up 
an'  die  on  me  that  way.  An',  Matty,  I  wish  I 
hadn't  brought  him,  for  him  to  go  an'  disappint 
you  like  this.  Never  mind,  some  day  I'll  buy  you 
a  parrot  an'  a  monkey." 

Tearful  Matty  declined  the  monkey,  but  the 
parrot  had  long  since  gladdened  her  weary  hours ; 
for  a  gorgeous  specimen,  given  to  much  scream 
ing,  even  more  than  is  the  usual  manner  of  his 
kind,  had  been  purchased  by  Jim  for  her  behoof 
out  of  his  little  savings,  soon  after  he  and  Bill  had 
fallen  into  good  hands,  namely,  those  of  my  sister 
Millicent  and  brother  Edward. 

This  occurred  not  long  after  the  chicken  epi 
sode.  Milly  had  become  interested  in  the  boys, 
whom  she  had  encountered  at  one  of  the  Moody 
and  Sankey  meetings,  whither  they  had  come, 
not  for  purposes  of  edification  to  themselves  or 
others,  but  drawn,  partly  by  their  love  of  music, 
and  partly  by  the  desire  to  make  themselves 
obnoxious  to  more  decently  disposed  worshippers. 
But  Milly,  by  her  gentle  tact,  had  disarmed  them, 


20  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD  S  NIECES. 

—  they  being  our  near  neighbors  at  the  service,  — 
and,  profiting  by  this  love  of  sweet  sounds,  had 
brought  them  within  her  influence  ;  nor  ceased 
her  missionary  efforts  on  their  behalf  until,  with 
the  aid  of  brother  Edward,  and  the  consent  and 
co-operation  of  our  parents,  she  had  established 
them  both  as  servants  in  the  family,  where  they 
had  opportunity  and  encouragement  to  fit  them 
selves  for  decent  and  useful  lives. 

But  their  rise  in  life  had  not  caused  Bill  and 
Jim  to  forget  their  less  fortunate  little  friends 
and  prottgts,  —  for  Bill,  too,  had  in  his  way  been 
good  to  Tony  and  Matty,  though  he  was  not  nearly 
so  generous  and  self-sacrificing  as  Jim,  — and  they 
made  them  sharers  in  their  improved  circumstances 
so  far  as  they  were  able.  Jim  had  proposed  that 
they  also  should  be  taken  into  our  household,  and 
nursed  and  cared  for ;  but,  as  father  and  mother 
objected  to  having  the  house  turned  into  a  whole 
sale  reformatory  and  hospital,  his  modest  plan  was 
not  carried  out.  Some  help,  however,  had  been 
extended  to  the  two  cripples,  who  could  have  been 
provided  with  good  homes  in  some  beneficent 
institution,  could  the  wretched  mother  have  been 
induced  to  give  them  up ;  but,  thinking  probably 
that  they  excited  sympathy  by  which  she  could 
profit,  she  refused  to  do  so. 

Ever  since  Jim  had  fallen  upon  happier  times, 
it  seemed  that  the  boy's  whole  nature  had  ex 
panded,  and  he  was  constantly  on  the  lookout, 


AN  ARITHMETICAL   PUZZLE*  21 

to  use  his  own  language,  "for  a  chance  to  do  a 
make-up  for  all  the  good  done  to  me  an'  Bill." 
A  certain  ambitious  and  not  unpraiseworthy  pride, 
too,  and  a  strong  sense  of  gratitude  and  obligation 
to  those  who  were  befriending  and  helping  them, 
particularly  strong  in  Jim,  were  causing  both  boys 
to  make  the  most  of  the  opportunities  offered  to 
them. 

And  now,  it  would  seem,  Jim  was  actuated  by 
schemes  of  wholesale  benevolence  for  one,  two, 
and  four  legged  animals. 

He  had  proved  himself  quite  a  hero  during  the 
last  summer ;  had,  through  the  force  of  circum 
stances  and  appearances,  fallen  under  unjust  sus 
picion,  but  had  been  absolutely  and  triumphantly 
cleared  (the  story  of  which  may  be  found  in  "  Un 
cle  Rutherford's  Attic  ") ;  and  had  made  himself 
an  object  of  considerable  interest,  not  only  to  the 
members  of  our  own  family,  to  whom  he  had 
shown  great  loyalty  and  fidelity  under  severe 
temptation  and  trial,  but  also  to  outsiders  who 
had  known  of  the  story  of  his  adventures.  Hence, 
he  had  been  made  the  recipient  of  various  tokens 
of  this  interest  and  appreciation,  mostly  of  a 
pecuniary  nature,  and  he  now  felt  himself  to  be 
quite  a  moneyed  man. 

With  the  generosity  which  was  one  of  his  char 
acteristics, —  perhaps  the  most  distinguishing  one, 
—  he  scouted  the  idea  of  retaining  the  whole  of 
his  small  fortune  for  his  own  benefit,  pressing 


UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

a  share  of  it  upon  Bill,  presenting  our  children 
and  his  fellow-servants  with  tokens  of  his  regard, 
mostly  of  a  tawdry,  seaside-bazaar  nature,  but 
beautiful  in  their  eyes  and  his  own ;  conveying, 
with  an  eye  to  the  future,  another  portion  to  the 
care  of  brother  Edward,  to  be  used  for  "'lection 
expenses"  when  the  time  should  come  for  him 
to  run  for  that  dignity  to  which  he  aspired ;  and 
now  it  appeared  that  he  had  other  ends,  of  a 
philanthropic  nature,  in  view. 

Old  Captain  Yorke,  a  veteran  sailor,  now  retired 
from  active  service,  was  our  purveyor-general, 
going  each  morning  in  boat  or  wagon  to  the 
nearest  town,  whence  he  brought  for  us  and  other 
families  such  supplies  as  we  ordered  ;  the  Point 
affording  no  facilities  for  marketing  or  daily  house 
hold  needs.  He  was  a  great  friend  and  crony  of 
our  two  young  servant-lads,  and  to  him  as  well  as 
to  Bill  had  Jim  confided  his  plans  ;  but  the  three 
heads  had  proved  unequal  to  the  settlement  of  the 
arithmetical  difficulties  which  presented  them 
selves,  and  Jim  had  applied  to  Allie,  as  being 
possessed  of  greater  educational  advantages.  This 
had  not  proved  equal  to  the  situation,  however,  as 
has  been  seen  ;  the  knowledge  of  eight  years  not 
being  able  to  cope  with  this  mathematical  problem. 

Divested  of  Jim's  complications,  Bill's  discursive 
remarks  upon  other  subjects,  and  put  into  rather 
more  choice  English  than  that  in  which  the  latter 
delivered  it,  the  plan  amounted  to  this  :  — 


AN  ARITHMETICAL   PUZZLE,  2$ 

Captain  Yorke,  heartily  admiring,  and  willingly 
co-operating,  was  to  bring  from  the  town  a  large 
quantity  of  peanuts,  which  Mrs.  Yorke,  also  full  of 
sympathy,  had  promised  to  roast.  The  amount 
of  peanuts  purchased  was  to  be  determined  by  the 
price  per  bag,  but  Jim's  ideas  were  of  a  wholesale 
nature ;  for  my  young  brothers  Norman  and 
Douglas,  who  both  had  a  weakness  for  this  vege 
table,  had  also  greatly  encouraged  him  in  his 
undertaking,  giving  him  not  only  hopes  of  great 
results  from  the  home-market,  but  promises  .that 
they  would  interest  "the  other  fellows,"  and  in 
duce  them  also  to  become  customers.  He  was  not 
to  be  salesman  himself,  of  course,  his  daily  avoca 
tions  not  permitting  of  this  ;  but,  for  the  rest  of 
our  stay  at  the  seashore,  he  purposed  obtaining 
the  services  of  an  acquaintance  who  belonged  in 
the  place,  and  who  was  in  the  habit  of  peddling 
about  papers,  periodicals,  an  assortment  of  very 
inferior  confectionery,  and  other  small  wares.  The 
proceeds  of  these  sales  made  here  at  the  seaside, 
deducting  a  commission  for  the  boy-vender,  Jim 
hoped  would  suffice  to  start  his  larger  and  more 
ambitious  enterprise  when  we  should  return  to  the 
city.  This  was  to  set  up  Tony  and  Matty  Blair  in 
business. 

So  far  all  was  plain  sailing,  in  anticipation  ;  but 
now  came  the  more  complicated  part  of  the 
arrangement. 

A  stand  was  to  be  secured,  a  roaster,  a  fresh 


24  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

supply  of  peanuts,  and  other  necessary  appliances 
purchased  ;  and  "our  ladies,"  to  wit,  mother,  Milly, 
and  myself,  asked  to  provide  the  crippled  young 
merchants  with  warm  clothing  sufficient  to  protect 
them  against  exposure  to  the  elements. 

There  were  so  many  "  shares  "  to  be  provided 
for,  shares  of  divers  proportions,  and  Jim's  arith 
metic  was  of  such  a  very  elementary  nature,  that 
he  soon  found  himself  lost  in  a  hopeless  labyrinth 
of  calculations.  With  peanuts  at  so  much  by  the 
wholesale,  and  so  much  at  retail,  running-ex 
penses,  and  so  forth,  on  the  one  hand  ;  what  would 
be  the  various  amounts  to  be  allowed  from  the 
proceeds,  on  the  other,  for  a  "  share  "  for  Tony  and 
Matty,  another  for  return  profits  to  Jim's  own 
pocket,  and  the  third  and  larger  for  the  establish 
ment  of  the  hospital  for  crippled  animals,  the  main 
object  of  the  undertaking? 

Now,  if  peanuts  were  so  much  per  bag,  and 
other  needful  appurtenances  so  much  more,  how 
much  profit  might  be  realized,  and  what  would  be 
the  respective  shares  ?  Hardly  had  I  solved  this 
complicated  problem  to  Jim's  satisfaction,  and  my 
own  relief, — for,  as  I  have  said,  numbers  were 
a  weariness  to  my  flesh,  and  the  rule  of  three  a 
burden  to  my  spirit,  — when  the  boy  remembered 
other  claimants  upon  the  fund. 

"  Miss  Amy,"  he  said,  "didn't  I  forget.  There's 
Rosie  ought  to  have  a  share  for  savin'  me  out  the 


AN  ARITHMETICAL    PUZZLE.  2$ 

Smuggler's  Hole  ;  she  must  have  a  share,  for  sure  ; 
an'  there's  Captain  Yorke,  he  ought  to  have  some, 
too.  Please  do  it  all  over  again,  Miss  Amy,  takin1 
out  their  shares." 

This  was  too  much,  however,  and  despite  Jim's 
reproachful  appeals  to  my  superior  learning,  I 
flatly  refused  to  "do  up"  any  more  sums  on  his 
behalf. 

And  now,  happily,  a  diversion  in  my  favor  was 
effected,  by  the  appearance  upon  the  scene  of  old 
Captain  Yorke  himself,  who  was  seen  coming  up 
the  carriage-way,  guiding  before  him  a  donkey-cart 
filled  with  fish,  while  upon  his  arm  he  bore  a 
basket  of  fruit,  vegetables,  and  so  forth. 

He  was  a  character,  this  old,  retired  sea-captain, 
—  a  firm  friend  and  ally  to  all  pertaining  to  the 
names  of  Livingstone,  or  Rutherford,  or  to  any  be 
longing  to  those  families,  our  factotum  and  stand 
by  ;  and,  moreover,  an  endless  source  of  amusement 
to  the  mature  part  of  the  household,  and  of  un 
bounded  admiration  to  the  more  juvenile  portion. 
In  the  eyes  of  our  little  girls,  and  indeed  in  those 
of  my  two  younger  brothers,  Norman  and  Douglas, 
and  above  all,  in  those  of  Jim  and  Bill,  he  was  a 
veritable  hero,  for  his  had  been  a  hard  and  venture 
some  life,  full  of  thrilling  adventure  and  hair 
breadth  escapes  ;  and  the  children  never  tired  of 
listening  to  the  narration  of  them.  Nor,  I  am 
bound  to  believe,  did  the  old  man  depart  from  the 


26  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

ways  of  truth,  or  draw  upon  his  imagination,  in 
narrating  them.  But  I  will  let  the  garrulous  old 
veteran  speak  for  himself,  a  thing  which  he  was 
never  loth  to  do. 


CHAPTER  II. 
A  CABLEGRAM. 


CHAPTER   II. 

A    CABLEGRAM. 

"  MORNIN',  boys  ;  mornin',  little  ones  ;  mornin', 
Miss  Amy,"  said  the  captain,  regardless  alike  of 
my  seniority  to  the  rest  of  the  group,  and  of  any 
claims  of  social  position  over  the  servants. 
"  Where's  pa  ? "  This  to  me. 

"  Mr.  Livingstone  is  out  driving,"  I  answered, 
with  what  I  intended  to  be  crushing  dignity;  for, 
much  as  I  liked  Captain  Yorke,  it  always  vexed  me 
to  have  my  father  and  mother  spoken  of  thus 
familiarly. 

"  Ma  in,  then  ? "  he  asked,  quite  unabashed ; 
and  indeed,  quite  unconscious  of  any  reproof. 

"  No ;  Mrs.  Livingstone  is  with  Mr.  Living 
stone,"  I  answered  again. 

"Wai,"  drawled  the  captain,  "that's  likely 
enough.  If  ye  see  one  on  'em  drivin'  or  walkin' 
roun',  you're  like  enough  to  see  t'other,  for  they're 
lover-like  yet,  if  they  has  got  a  big  fam'ly  part 
grown  up.  I  declar',  yer  pa  an'  ma  is  as  like  me 
an'  Mis'  Yorke  as  two  peas  is  like  two  more  peas, 
allus  kind  of  hankerin'  to  be  together,  jes'  as  if 
we  was  all  young  folks  yet,  an'  doin'  our  courtin'. 

29 


30  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

Not  that  pa  an'  ma  is  sech  old  folks  as  me  an' 
Mis'  Yorke,  but  they'll  get  to  it  bimeby  if  they 
lives  long  enough." 

I  passed  over  the  compliment  to  my  parents 
without  comment,  merely  asking,  — 

"  Can  you  leave  your  message  with  me, 
captain  ? " 

"'Twill  keep,"  he  answered;  "an'  I've  got  a 
bit  of  business  with  Jim  here.  Yer  projeck  ain't 
no  secret,  be  it,  Jim  ?" 

"  No,"  replied  Jim.  "  I  was  just  tellin'  Miss 
Amy,  an'  askin'  her  to  do  up  the  sums  about  it ; 
but" — lowering  his  voice,  and  ignorant  of  the  laws 
of  acoustics,  by  virtue  of  which  I  heard  every  word 
from  my  position  — "  she  ain't  none  too  smart 
at  sums  if  she  has  had  such  a  lot  of  schoolin',  an' 
she  didn't  make  it  out  real  nice  and  clear  like. 
But  you  can  speak  out.  She  knows,  an'  is  agree- 
ble,  an'  says  she'll  help.  She's  awful  generous, 
like  the  rest  of  'em,  Miss  Amy  is." 

With  this  little  salve  to  the  wounds  which  my 
filial  pride  and  personal  vanity  had  received,  he 
raised  his  voice  once  more,  quite  unnecessarily, 
and  continued,  — 

"Miss  Amy,  Captain  Yorke's  got  somethin*  to 
say'  bout  what  we  was  just  talkin'  of.  Go  on, 
captain  ;  Miss  Amy  don't  mind." 

"I  was  jes'  goin'  to  tell  you  what  I  been  an' 
done,"  drawled  the  .old  man,  raising  his  hat  with 
one  hand,  and  rubbing  up  his  grizzled  locks  with 


A    CABLEGRAM.  3! 

the  other,  as  was  his  wont  when  he  was  talking 
at  length, — he  generally  did  talk  at  length  when 
he  talked  at  all.  "You've  jes'  about  made  up  yer 
mind  to  do  that  undertaking  haven't  yeou  ?  That 
peanut-undertakin',  I  mean." 

Jim  gave  a  prompt  and  decided  assent. 

"All  right.  So  far  so  good,  an'  better  too," 
said  the  captain,  rather  illogically ;  "  for  if  you 
hadn't,  maybe  I'd  a  been  a  little  too  forehanded, 
as  it  were ;  but  it  was  my  opinions  you'd  made  up 
yer  mind  for  it,  so  I  acted  accordin'  an'  brought 
'em  along." 

"  Brought  who  along  ? "  asked  Jim  impatiently. 

"I'm  jes'  goin'  to  tell  ye,"  continued  the  old 
man.  "Don't  yeou  be  in  too  great  a  hurry. 
Things  takes  time  to  tell  when  there's  any  thin' 
in  'em  worth  tellin* ;  not  that  I'm  no  great  hand 
on  a  long  story,  for  I  allers  was  a  man  of  few  words  ; 
an'  Mis'  Yorke  she  can  allers  tell  a  story  more  to 
the  pint  than  me,  or  than  any  one  I  know  on  — 
bless  her  heart."  —  Certainly  the  old  man's  loyalty 
to,  and  affection  for,  his  dear  motherly  wife  was 
beautiful  to  see  and  hear.  —  "But  she  ain't  here  to 
tell,  an',  what's  more,  she  don't  know  nothin' 
'bout  it  to  tell.  She  ain't  the  kind  to  go  on  talkin', 
talkin'  'bout  things  she  don't  know  nothin'  'bout ; 
or,  s'pose  she  does  know  somethin'  'bout  'em,  to 
go  yarnin',  yarnin'  on  forever  an'  a  day,  an'  never 
gettin'  to  the  pint,  like  to  Mis'  Clay,  — yeVe  seen 
Mis'  Clay,  ain't  ye  ?  She's  Mis'  Yorke's  cousin, 


32  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

comes  over  from  Millville  now  an'  then,  an'  the 
powerfullest  han'  to  talk,  an'  never  comin'  to  the 
pint,  an'  never  givin'  anybody  else  the  chance." 

Mrs.  Clay  was  the  captain's  pet  grievance,  and 
almost  the  only  person  of  whom  we  ever  heard 
him  speak  disparagingly;  his  objection  to  her 
probably  being  founded  on  the  ground  that  she 
never  gave  him  "a  chance." 

"  Such  a  tongue,"  rambled  on  the  captain,  "an' 
so  fast  an'  confused  like  she's  wuss  than  the 
Tower  of  Babel  itself,  an'  jes'  as  like  to  scatter 
the  folks  what's  livin'  around  her.  But  if  ye've 
got  a  thing  to  tell  that's  got  a  pint,  folks  mostly 
likes  to  hear  the  ins  an'  outs  of  it,  'thout  the 
trouble  of  askin'  no  questions,  an'  I'd  as  lieve  tell 
'em  to  'em.  So  I'll  tell  ye  all  about  it,  Jim,  an' 
all  of  ye." 

"Well,  if  it's  any  thin'  about  my  business, 
would  you  mind  havin'  it  out  right  quick,  Cap?" 
said  Jim. 

"  An'  ain't  I  a  doin'  it  ?  "  responded  the  captain. 
"  Don't  be  in  sech  a  hurry,  boy.  I  got  to  get  my 
breath  to  talk,  after  walkin'  up  the  hill  for  to  rest 
Sanky  Pansy  a  bit,  for  the  cart  was  powerful  full 
this  mornin',  an'  he  did  have  a  load,  an'  he's 
gettin'  old  an'  has  to  be  eased  off  a  bit  like  myself, 
an'  I  felt  kind  of  blowed  an'  puffy-like.  Soon's  1 
can  talk  good,  I  will.  Young  folks  is  allers  got 
to  be  impatient.  There's  my  darter,  Matildy 
Jane,  she  ain't  none  too  patient,  you  know  — 


A    CABLEGRAM.  33 

leastways,  not  onless  it's  with  you,  Jim," — here  a 
wink  of  the  eye  at  Jim  made  evident  the  playful 
irony  of  the  exception,  for  Jim  was  Matilda's 
bete  noir,  and  a  chronic  warfare  waged  between 
the  two,  —  "an'  she  says  to  me  this  mornin',  says 
she,  'Pa,'  says  she, — an'  ye  might  think  I  hadn't 
never  learned  her  the  Ten  Comman'ments,  least 
ways  the  one  about  honorin'  her  father  an'  mother ; 
but  young  folks  is  different  behaved  from  what 
they  was  in  my  day — at  least  them's  my  opinions. 
I  was  jest  a  tellin'  her  an'  Mis'  Yorke  how  Peter 
Slade  got  his  boat  capsized  last  night ;  an'  '  Pa,' 
says  she,  '  it's  time  my  bread  was  took  out  of  the 
oven,  an'  if  you've  got  any  thin'  to  say '  —  I  declar', 
Miss  Amy,  if  she  didn't  give  me  a  message  about 
yer  clothes  ;  how  when  the  wind  riz  up  last  night, 
some  of  'em  was  carried  off  the  lines  into  the 
sand,  an'  she  had  'em  to  wash  over  again,  an' 
wouldn't  have  'em  home  jes'  up  to  time.  Now, 
where  was  I,  Jim  ?  " 

"Out  on  the  sands,  an'  upset  in  Slade's  boat, 
an'  talkin'  to  Matilda  Jane  ;  an'  where  you're 
goin'.  to  is  more  than  me  or  any  one  else  can  tell, 
Cap,"  answered  Jim,  saucily.  "  You  started  to 
tell  us  something  about  my  peanut-business,  I 
believe ;  but  you've  got  considerable  off  the  line." 

"To-o  be  sure,  to-o  be  sure,"  said  the  old  man, 
no  whit  offended  or  displeased  by  the  boy's 
pertness  ;  for  the  spirit  of  bon  camaraderie  which 
existed  between  them  was  not  easily  disturbed. 


34  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"Well,  now,  I'm  jes'  comin'  to  it  right  spang  off. 
Well,  ye  see,  I  been  over  to  Millville  this  morn- 
in'  in  the  boat,  accordin'  to  custom,  when  the 
water  ain't  too  rough,  an'  bein*  off  extry  early,  too, 
for  I'd  more  'n  common  to  market  for,  —  Mis' 
Douglas  she  told  me  to  bring  her  cowcumbers  for 
picklin' ;  an'  Mis'  Stewart  she  wanted  some  chany 
dishes  an'  some  glasses  outer  the  crockery  store,  — 
an'  that's  considerable  way  from  the  clock,  you 
know ;  an'  Mis'  Yorke  she  gimme  some  bit  of  flan- 
nen  she  wanted  matched,  — an'  such  like  arrands 
takes  time.  So  I  says,  says  I,  I'll  jes'  run  over 
to  the  station  an'  see  what's  doin'  there,  more  by 
token,  as  it  was  near  time  for  the  express,  an*  it 
kind  of  livens  ye  up  a  bit  to  see  them  express- 
trains  come  in, — they're  nice  an'  bustlin'  like, 
with  a  sort  of  go  in  'em  ;  an'  after  she  come  in, 
there  was  a  freight-train  come,  an'  there  was  Jots 
of  freight  put  off,  an'  —  guess  what  I  see,  Jim, 
among  it." 

"  Peanuts,  I  suppose,"  answered  Jim,  "  an'  I 
guess  I'll  get  at  the  whole  story  jest  as  quick  by 
guessing  it  out  myself,  as  by  waitin'  for  you,  Cap." 

The  captain  gave  Jim  a  friendly  nod,  still  no 
whit  disturbed  by  the  freedom  of  his  criticisms, 
and  rambled  on  again,  — 

"Yes,  peanuts,  bags  of  'em,  half  a  dozen  or 
more,  I  reckon,  though  I  didn't  take  the  trouble 
to  count  'em  ;  an'  the  way  I  foun'  out — how  do 
ye  s'pose  I  knew  what  was  in  them  bags  ?  " 


A    CABLEGRAM.  35 

"  Smelled  'em,"  said  Jim ;  "  Sampled  'em," 
said  Bill,  in  a  breath. 

"  How  was  I  to  sample  'em  when  they  was  —  I 
mean,  if  they  was  fastened  up  in  the  bags  ?  "  con 
tinued  the  captain  ;  "  nor  it  wasn't  no  smell,  either. 
There  ain't  much  smell  outer  peanuts  'thout 
they're  cookin'.  Mis'  Yorke,  she's  a  master  hand 
to  roast  peanuts,  does  'em  jes'  to  a  turn,  an'  then 
ye  can  smell  'em  clear  down  to  the  beach,  an' 
fustrate  it  is,  too.  I'd  rather  smell  'em  than  all 
the  fine  parfumery  things  they  puts  up  in  bottles." 

"  What  about  the  peanuts  ? "  urged  Jim.  "  Then 
how  didyw  know,  an'  what  did  you  do  ?  Hurry 
up." 

"There  was  a  feller  —  one  of  the  freight-hands 
—  a  pitchin'  of  the  things  outer  the  cars  ;  an'  one 
of  them  bags  hit  against  a  barrow  stood  there,  an' 
got  cut  right  through,  the  bag  did,  —  an'  what  do 
you  s'pose  come  a  pourin'  outer  that  bag,  Jim  ?" 

"Think  I  can  guess  that  riddle.  Peanuts," 
answered  Jim. 

"Yes,  peanuts,"  said  the  captain;  "an'  it  was  a 
lucky  thing  for  Sam  Bates,  to  who  they  was  con 
signed,  that  there  wasn't  a  raft  of  youngsters 
roun'  that  freight-house  as  there  is  most  times 
of  the  day.  There's  a  Sunday-school  clam-bake 
comin'  off  up  to  the  Pint  to-day,  an'  I  reckon  most 
of  the  Millville  boys  was  gcttin'  ready  for  to  go  to 
that,  so  they  wasn't  on  hand.  Sam  himself  was 
there,  though,  an'  it  beat  all,  the  takin'  he  was  in 


36  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

over  them  peanuts  ;  an',  to  be  sure,  it  was  enough 
to  make  any  creetur'  mad,  to  see  them  good  pea 
nuts  go  rollin'  an'  hoppin'  over  the  platform,  an' 
Sam  he  in  a'  awful  hurry  to  load  up  an'  go  home, 
for  he's  a  darter  gettin'  married  this  arternoon. 
Ye  didn't  never  hear  about  Sam  Bates'  darter, 
an'  her  city  young  man,  did  ye  ?  Well,  ye  see, 
Sam  Bates'  darter,  her  that  is  called  "  — 

"  But  the  peanuts  ;  tell  us  what  became  of  the 
peanuts  first,  Cap,"  interrupted  Jim,  determined  to 
check  the  old  sailor's  wanderings,  and  keep  him  to 
the  "pint" 

"Why,  ye  see,"  meandered  on  the  captain,  "when 
I  see  them  peanuts  a-rollin'  round,  an'  Sam  in  that 
takin',  I  says  to  myself,  Sam  ain't  got  no  time  to 
lose  a-pickin'  up  of  them  peanuts,  an'  maybe  he'd 
be  glad  to  get  rid  of  'em  for  what  he  give  for  'em 
an'  no  profits,  an'  let  Jim  have  the  profits,  an'  no 
freight  to  pay  on  'em  but  me  to  get  'em  picked  up. 
*  Sam,'  says  I,  as  he  was  fussin'  round,  '  the  Scrip- 
tur'  says,'  —  Sam's  a  deacon  in  the  church,  an'  I 
thought  mebbe  a  little  Scriptur'  would  fetch  him, 
and  keep  the  price  down,  — '  the  Scriptur'  says, 
Whatever  a  man  can  get,  therewith  let  him  be 
content ;  an'  I  take  it  the  moral  of  that  is,  make 
the  best  of  a  bad  bargain.  An'  there's  another 
teks  that  says,  Don't  ye  fret  over  spilt  milk  ;  an', 
bein'  a  pillar  of  the  church,  I  reckon  you'd  like  to 
practise  'em,  an'  let  your  light  shine  afore  men.' 
Now  if  there's  one  thing  more'n  another  that  Sam 


A    CABLEGRAM.  37 

prides  himself  on,  its  bein'  a  deacon,  an'  livin'  up 
to  it ;  an'  my  speakin'  Scriptur'  to  him  was  jest  a 
word  in  season,  for  he  quiets  down  an'  falls  to 
reckonin*.  '  Give  'em  to  me  for  what  you  give  by 
the  lot,  an'  throw  in  the  freight,'  says  I,  seem'  he 
meant  to  make  on  'em,  'an'  I'll  take  'em  an'  see  to 
the  pickin*  'em  up,  an'  you  can  load  up  the  cart  an' 
start  off  home.'  He  jes'  took  to  it  at  once,  for, 
with  the  lot  he  had,  one  bag  didn't  make  so  much 
differ  out  half  a  dozen  —  he  buys  'em  that  way 
mostly,  for  ye  know  he  keeps  a'  eatin'  house  ;  tem 
perance  strict  it  is,  up  to  Stony  Beach,  where 
there's  lots  of  clambakes  an'  picnics  holdin'  all  the 
time,  an'  the  folks  eats  heaps  of  peanuts.  So  Sam 
came  to  my  terms,  an'  I  made  thirty  cents  on  the 
bag  of  nuts,  an'  the  freight  throwed  in  for  ye,  Jim  ; 
an'  me  an'  Taylor  an'  Shepherd  picked  up  all  the 
nuts,  an'  I  brought  'em  along  in  a  basket  Taylor 
lent  me." 

Jim  turned  expectant  eyes  towards  the  donkey- 
cart. 

"  No,"  said  Captain  Yorke,  seeing  the  direction 
of  his  glance,  "  they  bean't  here  in  the  cart,  nor  no- 
wheres  here ;  they're  down  into  the  lighthouse. 
Perry  was  comin'  over  in  his  boat  'thout  no  load ; 
an',  as  I  was  pretty  well  filled  up,  he  brought  'em 
over,  an'  he's  took  'em  to  his  own  landin'.  Soon's 
I'm  rid  of  my  load  I'll  go  after  'em.  Hello  !  "  as 
a  blue-coated,  brass-buttoned  boy  from  the  chief 
hotel  of  the  place  came  running  into  our  grounds, 


38  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

and  up  to  the  house.  "  Hello,  here's  a  telegraph 
for  some  on  ye  !  Hope  'tain't  no  bad  news.  I 
don't  like  them  telegraphs ;  ill  news  comes  fast 
enough  of  its  own  accord,  an'  good  news  is  jes'  as 
good  for  a  little  keepin',  an'  ain't  goin'  to  spile. 
Mis'  Yorke  she  says"  — 

But  Mrs.  Yorke's  sayings,  valuable  though  they 
might  be,  were  lost  upon  me  as  I  took  the  yellow- 
covered  message  from  the  hand  of  the  messenger. 
Telegrams  were  matters  of  such  almost  daily  oc 
currence  in  our  family  that  the  sight  of  one  rarely 
excited  any  apprehension  ;  and,  as  all  of  our  imme 
diate  household  were  at  present  here  at  our  seaside 
home,  I  knew  that  the  message  could  bring  no  ill 
news  of  any  one  of  them.  But  my  heart  sank  as 
I  saw  that  this  was  a  cablegram,  for  a  dearly  loved 
uncle  and  aunt  were  over  the  sea,  and  my  fears 
were  at  once  excited  for  them. 

But  fear  was  quickly  changed  to  joy  when,  open 
ing  the  cablegram  in  the  absence  of  my  parents,  to 
whom  it  was  addressed,  I  read  these  words,  — 

"  We  take  '  Scythia  '  to-morrow  for  home,  direct 
to  you  at  the  Point.  All  well." 

As  we  had  not  expected  the  dear  absentees  for 
at  least  six  weeks  or  perhaps  two  months,  this 
news  was  not  only  a  relief,  but  a  joyful  surprise, 
and  I  gave  a  little  shriek  of  delight,  which  called 
forth  eager  inquiries  from  the  children,  while 
Captain  Yorke  and  Bill  and  Jim  were  alert  to  catch 
my  answer. 


A    CABLEGRAM.  39 

"  Uncle  Rutherford  and  aunt  Emily  are  coming 
home,  now,  right  away ;  they  will  be  here  in  a 
week  or  so,  and  they  are  coming  to  us,  here  to  this 
house ! "  I  exclaimed,  waving  aloft  the  paper,  in 
the  exuberance  of  my  joy. 

Daisy  forgot  her  downfall,  and  her  bandaged 
head,  as  she  and  Allie  seized  one  another  by  the 
hands,  and  went  capering  up  and  down  the  piazza 
in  an  improvised  dance  ;  and  Captain  Yorke's  face 
beamed,  as  he  said,  — 

"  That's  the  best  news  I've  heered  this  summer, 
leastways  next  to  hearin'  Jim  was  likely  to  get 
well  that  time,  for  the  Pint  ain't  the  Pint  when 
the  Governor  and  the  Madam  ain't  on  to  it.  But, 
Miss  Amy,  I  wouldn't  be  for  turnin'  your  folks 
out  afore  ye'd  go  to  the  city  anyhow;  for,  take 
ye  for  all  in  all,  ye're  a  pretty  likely  set,  an'  I'd 
miss  Jim  an'  Bill  a  heap." 

There  was  no  fear  of  that :  we  were  tenants  for 
the  season  in  the  dear  old  seaside  homestead, 
where  we  had  been  guests  for  more  or  less  of  every 
previous  summer  ;  and  the  beloved  uncle  and  aunt 
whose  home-coming  from  a  European  trip  we  were 
now  rejoicing  over,  would,  in  their  turn,  be  now 
our  much  prized  and  welcome  visitors.  It  would 
not  be  for  long,  however ;  for,  to  the  great  regret 
of  the  whole  household,  our  summer  sojourn  by 
the  sea  would  in  a  few  weeks  come  to  a  close.  I 
said  the  whole  household ;  but  there  was  one 
exception,  for  father  had  privately  sighed  all 


40  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

summer  for  our  own  country  home,  where  he  had 
his  fancy  farm,  extensive  and  beautifully  cultivated 
grounds,  and  superb  old  trees  in  which  his  soul 
delighted.     We  told  him  that  a  branch  of  one  of 
these  last  was,  in  his  eyes,  worth  the  whole  broad 
ocean,  in  which  his  family  so  revelled ;  and  he  did 
not  deny  the  soft  impeachment.     But  his  patience 
was  not  to  be  much  longer  tried,  for  we  were  to 
spend  a  couple  of  months  at  Oaklands  after  leaving 
the  seashore,  and  before  we  settled  down  for  the 
winter  in  our  city  home.     Nevertheless,  absence 
from  his  beloved  Oaklands  had  been  more  than 
compensated  for  by  the  roses  which  the  invigorat 
ing  sea-breezes  had  brought  to  the  cheeks  of  the 
two  youngest  of  the  household,  Allie  and  Daisy, 
who  had  been  brought  here  pale,  feeble,  and  droop 
ing,  from  the  effects  of  the  scarlet-fever,  but  who 
were  now  more  robust  than  they  had  been  before 
the  dreadful  scourge  had  laid  its  hand  upon  them. 
Nor  had  the  summer  been  one  of  unmixed  en 
joyment,  even  to  those  members  of  the  family  who 
gloried  in  the  sea  and  the  seashore ;  for  circum 
stances  had  arisen  which  had  been  productive,  not 
only  of   great  anxiety  and  trouble  to  us  all,  but 
which  had  involved  bodily  injury,  and  all  but  fatal 
consequences,   to   poor   Jim.     And    although    his 
name  and  character  had  come  out  scatheless  from 
the  trying  ordeal  of   doubt  and    suspicion  which 
had  fallen    upon  them  at  that  time,  it  had  been 
otherwise  with  those  of  one  who  had  been  received 


A    CABLEGRAM.  4! 

as  no  other  than  a  favored  friend  and  guest  in  our 
household ;  and  a  young  girl  whose  advantages 
had  outweighed  a  thousand-fold  those  of  the  once 
neglected  waif  rescued  by  our  Milly  from  a  life  of 
evil,  had  gone  forth  from  among  us  with  a  record 
of  shame  and  wrong-doing  which  had  forfeited, 
not  only  her  own  good  name,  but  also  the  respect 
and  liking  of  all  who  had  become  cognizant  of  the 
shameful  tale. 

To  those  who  have  read  "  Uncle  Rutherford's 
Attic,"  these  circumstances  will  be  familiar  ;  to 
those  who  have  not,  a  few  words  will  suffice  for 
explanation. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  summer,  my  aunt,  Mrs. 
Rutherford,  had  sent  to  me  a  pair  of  very  valuable 
diamond  earrings,  old  family  jewels,  and  an  heir 
loom.  They  came  to  me  by  virtue  of  my  baptis 
mal  name,  Amy  Rutherford,  which  I  had  inherited 
from  several  successive  grandmothers  on  my 
mother's  side ;  the  young  cousin  to  whom  they 
would  have  descended,  the  only  daughter  of  aunt 
and  uncle  Rutherford,  having  died  some  years 
since,  when  a  very  little  girl.  She  was  exactly  of 
my  own  age ;  and  this,  with  the  fact  that  she  too 
was  an  Amy,  had  caused  me  to  be  regarded  by  my 
uncle  and  aunt,  especially  the  latter,  with  a  peculiar 
tenderness  ;  and  they  seemed  to  feel  that  to  me, 
the  only  living  representative  of  the  family  name 
once  borne  by  their  lost  darling,  belonged  all  the 
rights  and  privileges  which  would  have  fallen  to 


42  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

their  own  Amy  Rutherford.  It  may  be  imagined 
how  I  had  prized  a  gift  precious,  not  only  for  its 
own  intrinsic  value,  but  for  the  many  associations 
which  clustered  about  it. 

Scarcely,  however,  had  the  earrings  become  my 
personal  property,  than  there  followed  in  their 
train  such  a  course  of  sin,  sorrow,  and  tribulation, 
that  my  pleasure  in  them  was  quite  destroyed ; 
and,  for  a  long  time,  the  very  sight  of  them  became 
hateful  to  me. 

Ella  Raymond,  a  ward  of  my  father's,  and  a  girl 
somewhat  older  than  myself,  had  come  to  make  us 
a  visit  just  about  the  time  that  the  beautiful  jewels 
came  into  my  hands.  Incited  by  vanity,  and  an 
inordinate  love  of  dress,  this  unhappy  girl  had 
recklessly  allowed  herself  to  become  heavily 
involved  in  debt,  —  debt  from  which  she  saw  no 
means  of  escape,  and  which  she  was  resolved  not 
to  confess  to  her  guardians.  The  sight  of  my 
diamonds  aroused  within  her  the  desire  to  possess 
herself  of  them,  not  for  her  own  personal  adorn 
ment,  but  that  she  might  dispose  of  the  jewels, 
replacing  them  with  counterfeit  stones,  and  so 
obtaining  the  means  to  satisfy  her  creditors. 

Unrestrained  by  principle,  honor,  or  the  laws 
of  hospitality,  the  wish  became  but  the  precursor 
to  the  actual  carrying-out  of  the  evil  thought. 
Thanks  to  my  heedlessness,  and  the  careless  way 
in  which  I  had  guarded  the  earrings,  she  obtained 
them  with  little  trouble  ;  and  after  an  amount  of 


A    CABLEGRAM.  43 

duplicity  and  deceit,  terrible  and  shameful  to  con 
template  in  a  woman  so  young,  had  contrived  to 
carry  out  her  purpose,  to  have  the  stones  changed, 
and  then  to  convey  the  earrings  back  to  my  pos 
session,  without  drawing  suspicion  upon  herself. 

Nor,  was  this  the  worst ;  for  when,  by  a  most 
unfortunate  series  of  events,  suspicion  was  forcibly 
directed  toward  Jim,  she  failed  to  exonerate  him 
by  acknowledging  her  own  guilt ;  and  but  for  the 
merest  accident,  which  brought  about  the  prover 
bial  ''Murder  will  out"  and  fixed  the  crime  without 
a  shadow  of  doubt  upon  her,  would  have  suffered 
the  innocent  boy  to  bear  all  the  penalties  and 
disgrace  which  by  right  belonged  to  her. 

So  it  will  be  seen  that  the  summer,  spite  of  its 
many  pleasures  and  much  happiness,  had  not  been 
without  a  large  share  of  care -and  perplexity. 

That  all  this  was  over,  and  that  our  fears  for 
Jim's  moral  and  physical  well-being  had  come  to 
an  end,  we  were  most  thankful ;  and  the  most  of 
us  still  clung  lovingly  to  the  grand  old  ocean,  and 
our  summer-home  on  its  shore. 

But  autumn  gales  would,  ere  many  weeks,  be 
sweeping  over  this  exposed  coast ;  and  already  the 
summer-guests  were  flitting  from  the  large  hotels, 
although  the  cottagers  would  probably  hold  their 
ground  for  some  little  time  longer.  But  what 
would  it  matter  to  us  if  we  should  be  left  the  very 
last  of  the  summer-residents  upon  the  Point,  so 
long  as  dear  aunt  and  uncle  Rutherford  were  to 


44  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

be  with  us  ?  They  were  a  host  in  themselves, 
especially  the  latter,  who  always  seemed  to  per 
vade  the  whole  house  with  his  jovial,  hearty  pres 
ence,  and  who  was  the  first  of  favorites  with  all 
the  young  people  of  the  family. 

There  would  be  much  for  them  to  hear,  too :  all 
the  sad  story  related  above  in  brief,  to  be  told, 
with  all  its  minor  particulars  ;  for  it  had  been  kept 
from  them  hitherto,  as  I  had  been  very  sensitive 
on  the  subject,  my  own  carelessness  having  been 
partially  in  fault,  and  I  had  preferred  that  they 
should  hear  nothing  of  it  until  their  return.  Aunt 
Emily  would  not  have  been  severe  with  me,  I 
knew ;  but  I  had  wished  that  the  face  and  the 
voice,  which  she  always  associated  with  her  own 
lost  Amy,  should  speak  and  plead  for  my  short 
comings  in  the  matter,  when  it  should  come  to  her 
knowledge.  And  oh !  was  I  not  thankful  beyond 
measure,  for  her  sake,  even  more  than  for  my  own, 
that  the  jewels  had  been  recovered,  and  were  once 
more  safe  in  my  own  possession,  before  she  learned 
of  the  perils  they  had  passed  through.  If  I  felt 
somewhat  shamefaced  and  repentant,  as  it  was, 
what  would  it  have  been  if  they  had  been  lost 
beyond  recovery ! 

The  joy  at  the  unexpected  return  of  the  absen 
tees  was  not  confined  to  their  own.  family  or  circle, 
for  the  "  Governor "  —  uncle  Rutherford  had 
years  since  held  that  dignity  in  the  State,  and  was 
still  "the  Governor"  to  all  the  denizens  of  the 


A    CABLEGRAM.  45 

Point  —  was  greatly  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him 
well ;  and  the  old  residents  of  the  place,  which  had 
for  so  many  years  been  his  summer-home,  consid 
ered  themselves  to  be  his  intimate  acquaintances. 
He  was  an  authority  and  a  law  to  each  one  among 
them.  What  "the  Governor"  did,  was  invariably 
right  in  their  eyes;  from  what  "the  Governor" 
said,  there  was  no  appeal.  He  would,  indeed,  have 
been  a  daring  man  who  should  question  the  right 
or  wisdom  of  uncle  Rutherford's  words  or  deeds 
in  the  presence  of  any  of  these  stanch  adherents. 

And  dear  aunt  Emily  was  not  less  beloved  in 
her  way,  for  the  simple  people  of  the  Point  all 
but  adored  her,  —  true,  wise  friend  that  she  had 
proved  to  them  ;  and  among  them  none  were  more 
ardent  in  their  devotion  and  admiration  than 
Captain  and  Mrs.  Yorke. 

So  it  was  no  wonder  that  the  captain's  face 
beamed  with  delight,  nor  that,  being  somewhat 
after  the  manner  of  the  Athenians  of  old,  who 
delighted  in  some  new  thing  to  tell  or  to  hear,  he 
should  now  be  in  haste  to  despatch  his  daily  busi 
ness,  and  take  his  departure  to  spread  the  news 
about  the  Point.  Indeed,  he  would  scarcely  wait 
until  I — who  regained  my  senses  before  it  was 
too  late  —  furnished  him  with  the  list  for  the  next 
day's  supplies,  which  mother  had  confided  to  my 
keeping.  In  fact,  in  the  midst  of  the  excitement 
and  pleasant  anticipations  which  uncle  Ruther 
ford's  cablegram  had  called  forth,  Jim's  "peanut- 


46  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

undertakin' "  was  for  the  present  entirely  lost  sight 
of,  unless  it  was  by  the  lad  himself  and  his  faithful 
chum  and  ally,  Bill. 

No  need  to  give  here  the  reasons  which  had 
influenced  uncle  Rutherford's  unexpected  return  ; 
they  were  purely  of  a  business  nature,  and  would 
interest  no  one  else. 


CHAPTER  III. 


AN    ARRIVAL 


CHAPTER   III. 

AN    ARRIVAL. 

I  HAD  made  my  confession,  —  for  a  confession 
I  had  felt  it  was,  —  involving  for  my  own  share  no 
small  amount  of  carelessness,  and  some  little 
pride  and  self-will ;  all  of  which  "little  foxes  "  had 
opened  the  way  to  the  commission  of  actual  crime 
in  another. 

It  was  the  day  after  that  on  which  my  uncle 
and  aunt  had  arrived  at  the  Point,  —  mild,  soft,  and 
sunny;  only  the  September  haze  upon  sea  and  sky 
to  tell  that  the  lingering  summer  was  near  its  end. 

We  sat  upon  the  piazza,  —  these  two  dear  new 
comers,  my  sister  Milly,  and  I.  Father  off  upon 
some  business  ;  mother  in  the  house  attending  to 
Norman,  who  had  come  home  with  a  sprained 
wrist ;  the  children  at  play  upon  the  beach  with 
Mammy,  and  their  faithful  pages,  Bill  and  Jim, 
in  attendance.  I  had  stipulated,  with  a  fanciful 
idea  that  I  was  making  some  righteous  atonement, 
that  I  should  be  the  one  to  relate  the  sad  story  of 
my  diamond  earrings  ;  and  hence  no  one  had  until 
now  mentioned  the  subject  in  the  hearing  of  my 
uncle  and  aunt. 

49 


50  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

The  opportunity  was  propitious,  the  audience 
lenient  and  sympathetic  ;  and  seated  on  the 
piazza-step,  with  my  head  resting  against  aunt 
Emily's  knee,  and,  as  the  tale  proceeded,  her  dear 
hand  tenderly  stroking  my  hair  and  cheek,  I  had 
told  the  story  to  its  minutest  particular,  taking,  as 
the  sober  sight  of  after  days  has  shown  me,  more 
than  the  necessary  amount  of  blame  upon  myself. 

So  my  uncle  and  aunt  now  said  ;  and,  while 
inexpressibly  shocked  at  such  heartless  wicked 
ness  in  one  so  young  as  the  guilty  girl,  they  would 
not  allow  that  their  "  own  Amy  "  was  at  all  blame 
worthy  in  the  matter,  and  only  congratulated 
themselves  and  me  upon  the  recovery  of  the  ear 
rings.  My  name,  and  the  likeness  I  bore  to  the 
Amy  Rutherford  in  heaven,  would  have  pleaded 
for  and  won  me  absolution  in  a  far  worse  case 
than  this ;  and  they  at  once  set  themselves  to 
work  to  demolish  my  almost  morbid  fancies  in 
connection  with  the  theft  of  the  jewels.  The  very 
fact  that  I  had  now  told  them  all  was  a  relief,  and 
my  elastic  spirits  at  once  began  to  rise  from  the 
weight  which  had  burdened  them  during  the  last 
few  weeks. 

"  So  that  is  the  hero  of  your  tale  ? "  said  uncle 
Rutherford,  looking  thoughtfully  down  upon  the 
beach  where  the  little  ones  were  enjoying  them 
selves  to  the  utmost,  and  having  matters  all  their 
own  way,  as  usual.  Jim  was  lying  prone  upon  the 
beach,  while  Allie  and  Daisy  were  industriously 


AN  ARRIVAL.  5  I 

covering  him  with  sand ;  Bill  assisting  by  filling 
their  pails  for  them.  This  was  a  daily  amusement, 
and  never  palled. 

"  So  that  is  your  hero?"  he  repeated.  "And 
what  do  you  mean  to  do  with  him,  Milly  ? "  he 
asked,  turning  to  my  sister.  "  Such  a  fellow 
should  have  a  chance  in  life." 

"  He  thinks  he  has  it  since  he  has  been  here," 
answered  Milly;  "since  he  has  been  among 
respectable  people  and  surroundings,  provided 
and  cared  for,  and  taught.  He  and  Bill  both 
talk  as  if  they  needed  no  greater  advantages  than 
those  they  possess  already.  As  to  what  I  mean 
to  do  with  him,  dear  uncle,  —  well,  it  is  less  what 
I  mean  to  do  with  him,  than  what  he  means  to  do 
with  himself.  His  own  ambitions  are  soaring,  and 
quite  beyond  any  plans  that  I  could  form  for  him ; 
his  aim  being  the  head  of  the  government  of  our 
country,  with  the  powers  of  an  autocrat,  and  no 
responsibility  to  any  one.  Nor  is  his  mind  dis 
turbed  with  any  doubts  that  he  will  be  able  to 
achieve  this  dignity,  provided  that  he  continues 
to  'have  his  chance/  At  present  he  is  content 
with  learning  his  duties  as  a  house  and  table 
servant,  believing  those  to  be  but  stepping-stones 
towards  his  goal." 

"To  say  nothing  of  his  ambitious  views  regard 
ing  Milly  herself,"  I  interrupted.  But  my  remark 
was  ignored  as  unworthy  of  the  gravity  of  the 
subject. 


52  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"But  he  should  have  some  schooling,  a  boy 
such  as  he  is,  —  do  not  you  think  so  ? "  asked 
uncle  Rutherford ;  adding,  "  Whatever  his  aims 
and  ambitions  may  be,  he  can  achieve  nothing 
without  some  education." 

Milly  hesitated  for  a  moment,  unwilling  to  make 
mention  of  all  that  she  was  doing  for  Jim  and  his 
confrere  ;  and  I  spoke  for  her. 

"  Milly  is  spending  a  goodly  portion  of  her 
worldly  substance  in  that  way,"  I  said.  "  The 
boys  go  to  a  teacher  for  two  hours  every  evening, 
and  are  both  making  quite  remarkable  progress 
in  the  three  R's ;  and  Bill  had  singing-lessons  all 
last  winter,  and  I  believe  Milly  intends  that  he 
shall  continue  them  when  we  go  back  to  the 
city." 

"H'm'm,"  said  uncle  Rutherford.  "Very  good, 
so  far  as  it  goes ;  but  I  mean  something  more 
thorough  and  far-reaching  than  this."  And  Milly1  s 
eyes  lighted,  for  she  knew  that  uncle  was  already 
planning  some  means  of  substantial  advancement 
for  her  prote'ge'. 

"  If  you  are  going  to  give  him  any  further 
*  chance,'  "  I  said,  "Columbia  itself  will  not  bound 
his  ambition.  He,  too,  will  sigh  because  there  is 
but  one  world  for  him  to  conquer." 

"H'm'm,"  said  uncle  Rutherford  again,  with  his 
eyes  still  fixed  thoughtfully  upon  the  incipient 
candidate  for  presidential  honors,  who,  having 
shaken  himself  free  from  the  sand,  and  risen  to 


AN  ARRIVAL.  53 

his  feet,  was  now  tumbling  rapidly  over  in  a  series 
of  "  cart-wheels ; "  another  performance  in  which 
the  souls  of  our  children  delighted,  and  in  which 
he  was  an  expert.  But  he  —  uncle  Rutherford  — 
said  nothing  more  at  present ;  and  we  were  all  left 
in  ignorance  as  to  what  benevolent  plan  tending 
Jim-wise  he  might  be  pondering. 

For  a  man  otherwise  so  charming  and  consid 
erate,  uncle  Rutherford  had  the  most  exasperating 
way  of  exciting  one's  curiosity  and  interest  to  the 
verge  of  distraction,  and  then  calmly  ignoring 
them. 

But  now  I  suddenly  bethought  myself  of  Jim's 
"peanut  plan,"  which,  truth  to  tell,  had  passed 
entirely  from  my  mind  since  the  day  I  had  first 
heard  of  it ;  and,  with  an  eye  to  further  prepos 
sessing  uncle  Rutherford  in  the  boy's  favor,  I 
forthwith  unfolded  his  scheme  for  the  benefit  of 
the  helpless  young  Blairs.  My  uncle  was  amused, 
but,  as  I  could  see,  was  pleased,  too,  with  Jim's 
gratitude  and  appreciation  of  the  good  which  had 
fallen  to  his  own  lot. 

"Amy,"  said  uncle  Rutherford  presently, - 
apropos  of  some  further  allusion  which  was  made 
to  my  tale,  and  to  Captain  Yorke's  share  in  it,  — 
"  Amy,  I  am  going  to  invite  Captain  and  Mrs. 
Yorke  to  visit  New  York  this  winter,  and,"  with 
a  twinkle  in  his  eye,  "  shall  depend  upon  you  and 
Milly  to  escort  them  hither  and  thither  to  see  the 
city  lions." 


54  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"  Invite  them  to  your  house  ? "  I  inquired,  in 
not  altogether  approving  surprise,  for  the  idea  of 
Captain  and  Mrs.  Yorke  as  visitors  in  uncle  Ruth 
erford's  house  was  somewhat  incongruous  ;  while 
the  vision  of  Milly  and  myself  escorting  them 
about  was  not  attractive  in  my  eyes,  fond  though 
I  was,  in  a  certain  way,  of  the  old  man  and  his 
dear  motherly  wife. 

"  Not  to  my  own  house,  no,"  answered  uncle 
Rutherford,  with  an  assumption  of  gravity  which 
by  no  means  imposed  upon  me,  "for  I  do  not  ex 
pect  to  have  any  house  of  my  own  this  coming 
winter,  —  or,  I  should  say,  not  to  occupy  my  own 
house  ;  for,  Amy,  as  my  boys  will  pass  the  winter 
abroad,  and  your  aunt  and  I  would  feel  lonely 
without  them,  we  have  been  persuaded  by  some 
kind  friends,  with  a  whole  houseful  of  trouble 
some  young  people,  to  make  our  home  with  them, 
and  help  to  keep  their  flock  in  order.  So  Captain 
Yorke  and  "  — 

But  he  was  interrupted,  as  I  fell  upon  him  in 
an  ecstasy  of  delight,  —  worthy  of  Allie  or  Daisy, 
—  enchanted  to  learn  that  we  were  to  have  the 
inexpressible  pleasure  of  having  him  and  aunt 
Emily  to  spend  the  winter  with  us ;  a  pleasure 
which  I  would  willingly  have  earned  by  any 
amount  of  ciceroneship  to  the  old  sailor  and  his 
wife.  The  subject  had  not  been  mooted  before 
the  younger  portion  of  the  family,  but  had  been 
discussed  and  settled  in  private  conclave  among 


AN  ARRIVAL.  55 

our  elders  ;   so  it  was  a  most  agreeable  surprise 
to  each  one  and  all  of  us. 

"  But  about  Captain  and  Mrs.  Yorke  ? "  I  said, 
at  length,  when  my  transports  had  somewhat 
subsided,  and  calmness  was  once  more  restored. 
"  You  do  not  really  mean  that  you  are  going  to 
bring  them  to  the  city,  and  —  to  our  house  ?  " 

And  all  manner  of  domestic  and  social  compli 
cations  presented  themselves  to  my  mind's  eye, 
in  view  of  such  an  arrangement.  For  uncle 
Rutherford,  in  his  far-reaching  desire  to  benefit 
and  make  others  happy,  was  given  to  ways  and 
plans  which,  at  times,  were  too  much  even  for  his 
ever-charitable,  generous  wife ;  and  which  now 
and  then  would  sorely  try  the  souls  of  those  less 
interested,  but  who,  nolens  volens,  became  the 
victims  of  his  benevolent  schemes. 

No  one  was  better  aware  of  uncle  Rutherford's 
proclivities  in  this  way,  or  more  in  dread  of  them, 
than  my  young  brother  Norman,  who  had  just 
joined  our  circle,  fresh  from  mother's  surgery,  and 
with  his  arm  in  a  sling.  For  Norman's  bump  of 
benevolence  was  not  as  large  as  that  of  some  other 
members  of  the  family,  and  he  was  inclined  to 
look  askance  upon  uncle  Rutherford's  demands 
upon  his  heart  and  his  purse.  These,  to  tell  the 
truth,  were  not  infrequent ;  for  our  uncle,  believ 
ing  that  young  people  should  be  led  to  the  exer 
cise  of  active  and  unselfish  charity,  and  seeing 
that  Norman  was  inclined  to  shirk  such  claims, 


56  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

was  constantly  presenting  them  to  the  boy,  with 
a  view  to  training  him  in  the  way  he  should  go 
in  such  matters. 

"  Uncle  Rutherford  gives  with  one  hand,  and 
takes  away  with  the  other,"  Norman  had  said, 
grumblingly,  only  this  same  morning,  in  my 
hearing. 

"  You  had  better  say  he  takes  with  one  hand, 
and  gives  seven-fold  with  the  other,"  said  Douglas, 
resentfully  ;  for  he  inherited,  to  the  fullest  extent, 
the  family  generosity.  "  Nor,  I  saw  the  skins  of 
your  flints  hanging  out  to  dry  this  morning." 

Whereupon  Douglas  dodged  a  book  aimed  at 
his  head,  and  left  his  shot  to  work  what  execution 
it  might. 

Norman  had  caught  my  last  words,  and  taken  in 
their  meaning,  and  his  delight  at  the  prospect  of 
a  visit  from  Captain  Yorke  was  almost  as  great  as 
Milly's  and  mine  in  view  of  the  stay  of  our  uncle 
and  aunt  at  our  home ;  being  incited,  probably,  by 
thq  thought  of  the  "  jolly  fun"  which  he  and 
Douglas  could  extract  from  the  old  man  while 
piloting  him  about  the  city. 

"  I  certainly  do  not  intend  to  bring  the  old  peo 
ple  to  your  house,  Amy,"  said  uncle  Rutherford; 
"  but  your  aunt  is  anxious  that  Mrs.  Yorke  should 
see  some  good  physician,  who  may  be  able  to 
relieve  her  from  her  lameness  before  she  is 
entirely  crippled ;  and  we  shall  therefore  propose 
tha.t  they  come  to  the  city  after  we  are  fairly 


AN  ARRIVAL.  57 

settled  there,  when  we  will  provide  comfortable 
quarters  for  them,  and  put  Mrs.  Yorke  under  proper 
treatment.  There  is  a  fitness  to  all  things,  my 
child ;  and  Captain  and  Mrs.  Yorke  would  probably 
feel  as  much  embarrassed  as  your  guests,  as  we 
should  be  in  having  them  with  us." 

"  I  was  only  thinking  "  —  I  began,  then  stopped. 

"  You  were  only  thinking  that  your  quixotic  old 
uncle  was  about  to  inflict  a  somewhat  trying 
experience  upon  you,"  said  uncle  Rutherford,  in 
answer  to  the  unspoken  thought.  "But  he  has  a 
modicum  of  sense  left  yet,  Amy." 

Truth  would  not  allow  me  to  enter  a  disclaimer, 
for  this  had  been  my  very  thought.  Any  slight 
embarrassment  which  I  might  have  felt,  however, 
was  relieved  by  a  little  diversion  in  my  favor,  as 
uncle  Rutherford  said,  — 

"  Here  is  Fred  Winston  coming  over  from  the 
hotel." 

"  Yes,  he  is  generally  coming  over,  and  never 
going  back,"  said  Norman,  with  what  I  chose  to 
consider  a  saucy  glance  in  my  direction ;  but  I 
ignored  both  speech  and  glance,  as  I  welcomed 
the  new-comer. 

Now  be  it  understood,  that  this  young  man  was 
neither  a  gossip  nor  news-monger ;  but,  being  at 
present  a  resident  of  the  largest  hotel  in  the  place, 
he  was,  from  the  force  of  circumstances,  apt  to  be 
the  hearer  of  various  items  of  interest,  and  these, 
for  reasons  which  seemed  good  to  himself,  he 


58          -    UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

usually  considered  it  necessary  to  bring  over  to 
the  homestead  as  soon  as  possible  after  they  came 
to  his  knowledge.  Indeed,  our  boys  basely  slan 
dered  him,  by  crediting  him  with  the  invention  of 
sundry  small  fictions  as  an  excuse  for  coming  over 
to  our  house.  Nevertheless,  he  was  always  a 
welcome  guest  with  each  one  and  all  of  the  family, 
and  with  none  more  than  with  these  saucy  boys. 

"Mr.  Rutherford,"  he  said  now,  when  he  had 
settled  himself  in  such  comfort  as  he  might  upon 
the  next  lowest  step  to  that  on  which  I  was  seated, 
and  addressing  himself  to  my  uncle,  who,  by  virtue 
of  his  interest  in,  and  proprietorship  of,  a  great 
portion  of  the  Point,  was  regarded  by  most  peo 
ple  as  a  sort  of  lord  of  the  manor,  —  "  Mr.  Ruther 
ford,  have  you  heard  what  has  befallen  Captain 
Yorke  ? " 

"  I  have  heard  nothing,"  answered  uncle  Ruth 
erford.  "  No  misfortune,  I  hope." 

Mr.  Winston  slightly  raised  his  eyebrows,  as  he 
answered,  laughingly,  "  I  do  not  know  whether  he 
considers  it  in  the  light  of  a  misfortune  or  a  bless 
ing  ;  but  I  know  very  well  how  I  should  feel  had 
such  an  affliction  fallen  to  my  lot,  — that  it  was  an 
unmitigated  calamity ;  while  Miss  Milly,  again, 
would  probably  consider  it  as  the  choicest  of  bless 
ings.  It  seems  that  the  old  man  had  a  reprobate 
son,  who,  many  years  since,  went  off  to  parts 
unknown  ;  and  his  parents  have  heard  nothing  of 
him  since, — that  is,  until  to-day,  when  a  woman, 


AN  ARRIVAL.  59 

claiming  to  be  his  widow,  appeared  with  five 
children.  She  had  his  "marriage  lines,"  as  she 
called  them,  a  letter  from  the  prodigal  himself  to 
his  father,  and  other  papers,  which  appear  to  sub 
stantiate  her  claim  ;  and  the  old  couple  have 
admitted  it,  and  received  the  whole  crowd. 
1  Matildy  Jane '  is  sceptical,  derisive,  and  not 
amiable.  Nor  can  one  be  surprised  that  she  is 
not  pleased  at  this  addition  to  her  household  cares 
and  labors,  for  I  have  not  told  the  worst.  The 
woman  is  apparently  in  the  last  stages  of  con 
sumption  ;  one  of  the  children  is  blind  ;  another 
has  hip-disease ;  and  a  third  looks  as  if  it  would 
go  the  way  its  mother  is  going.  There  is  a  sturdy 
boy  of  fourteen  or  so,  the  eldest  of  the  family,  and 
another  chubby,  healthy  rogue,  in  the  lot ;  but 
they  really  looked  like  a  hospital  turned  loose. 
Brayton  and  I  had  gone  down  for  bait,  and  were 
talking  to  the  captain,  when  they  arrived." 

"  Don't,  don't,  Mr.  Winston  !  "  exclaimed  Nor 
man.  "  Milly  will  adopt  the  crowd,  and  have  them 
here  amongst  us.  That  is  her  way,  you  know." 

"  And  what  did  the  captain  say  ?  "  I  asked,  fully 
agreeing  with  Mr.  Winston,  that  this  must  be,  for  the 
old  seaman,  an  appalling  misfortune.  "  Imagine, 
if  the  thing  is  true,  and  these  people  dependent 
upon  him,  the  utter  up-turning  of  the  even  tenor 
of  his  way,  —  of  all  their  ways.  I  sympathize  with 
'  Matildy  Jane/  What  did  the  captain  say  ?  " 

"  He  asked  me  to  read  his  son's  letter  to  him,  — 


60  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

for  he  is  not  apt,  it  would  appear,  in  deciphering 
writing;  and,  indeed,  it  was  more  or  less  hiero- 
glyphical,  —  then  gazed  for  a  few  moments  at  the 
dilapidated  crew,  —  dilapidated  as  to  health,  I 
mean ;  for  they  are  clean  and  decent,  and  fairly 
respectable  looking, — and  said,  'Well,  ye  do  all 
seem  to  be  enj'yin'  a  powerful  lot  of  poor  health 
among  ye.'  Then  he  turned  into  the  house,  saying 
that  he  must  'see  what  mother  said/  giving 
neither  word  of  welcome  nor  refusal  to  admit  the 
claim  of  the  strangers ;  and  presently  Mrs.  Yorke 
appeared,  in  a  state  of  overwhelming  excitement, 
and,  nothing  doubting,  straightway  fell  upon  the 
new  arrivals  with  an  attempt  to  take  the  whole 
quintette  into  her  ample  embrace.  No  need  of 
proofs  for  her;  and,  seeing  this,  the  captain's 
doubts  were  dispersed,  and  he  began  a  vigorous 
hand-shaking  with  each  and  every  one  of  those 
present,  including  Brayton  and  myself,  and  repeat 
ing  the  process,  until  Brayton  and  I,  feeling  our 
selves  to  be  intruders  in  the  midst  of  this  family 
scene,  made  good  our  escape.  Not,  however, 
before  '  Matildy  Jane '  had  appeared,  with  tone, 
look,  and  manner,  which  you  who  know  '  Matildy 
Jane'  do  not  need  to  have  described,  denouncing 
the  woman  and  children  as  'ampostors,'  and  bid 
ding  them  begone." 

"And  you  do  not  think  that  the  woman  is  a 
fraud  ?  "  asked  aunt  Emily. 

"  I  do  not,  Mrs.  Rutherford ;   and  neither  did 


AN  ARRIVAL.  6 1 

Brayton,"  answered  Fred  Winston.  "And,  be 
sides  the  letter  and  marriage  certificate  which 
were  in  her  possession,  making  good  her  preten 
sions,  she  had  an  honest  face,  and  appeared 
respectable,  — far  too  much  so  for  the  wife  of  such 
a  scallywag  as  old  Yorke's  son  is  said  to  have 
been." 

"  If  the  Yorkes  allow  her  claim,  and  take  in  this 
numerous  family,  it  will  interfere  with  your  plans 
for  Mrs.  Yorke,  uncle,"  I  said. 

"  Not  at  all,"  said  uncle  Rutherford,  who,  when 
he  had  once  made  up  his  mind  to  a  thing,  would 
move  heaven  and  earth  to  carry  it  out,  and  who 
often  insisted  upon  benefiting  people  against 
their  will.  "  Not  at  all.  The  new  family  can  be 
left  here  to  keep  Matilda  Jane  company  while  her 
father  and  mother  are  away.  There  is  all  the 
more  reason  now  that  Mrs.  Yorke  should  be  cured 
of  her  lameness ;  and  I  believe  that  it  can  be 
done." 

Blessed  with  the  most  sanguine  of  dispositions, 
as  well  as  with  the  kindest  and  most  generous  of 
hearts,  he  always  believed,  until  it  was  proved 
otherwise,  that  the  thing  he  wished  could  be 
done. 

"  Milly,"  said  aunt  Emily,  suddenly  turning  to 
my  sister,  "will  you  come  down  to  the  Yorkes' 
with  me  ? " 

Milly  assented  readily;  and  the  two  kindred 
spirits  set  forth  together. 


62  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"The  blessed  creatures!"  said  Fred  Winston. 
"What  unlimited  possibilities  the  arrival  of  this 
infirmary  opens  up  to  them.  I  knew  that  they 
would  be  off  at  once  to  inquire  into  the  condition 
of  the  sick  and  wounded." 

"And  to  find  out  how  many  candidates  there 
may  be  for  the  hospital  cottage  and  other  refuges," 
I  added. 

But  the  two  good  Samaritans,  as  they  after 
wards  reported,  were  not  so  appalled  by  the  state 
of  things  at  the  Yorkes'  cottage,  as  Mr.  Winston's 
tale  had  prepared  them  to  be.  Perhaps  matters 
had  improved  since  he  had  left  two  hours  since, 
or  the  stricken  family  had  at  once  accommodated 
themselves  to  the  change  in  their  circumstances. 
Certain  it  is  that  aunt  Emily  and  Milly  found 
peace  and  serenity  reigning:  Mrs.  Yorke  with 
the  little  cripple  in  her  capacious  lap,  coddling  and 
petting  her  as  the  good  soul  well  knew  how  to 
do ;  the  captain  piloting  the  blind  child  about  the 
house  and  garden,  familiarizing  him  with  different 
objects,  by  which  he  might  learn  his  own  way 
about  by  his  acute  sense  of  touch  ;  the  youngest  — 
a  teething,  not  consumptive,  baby  —  fast  asleep; 
and  even  the  recalcitrant  "  Matildy  Jane"  toler 
ably  pleasant  and  good-natured  beneath  the  fasci 
nations  of  a  handsome,  sturdy  urchin  four  years 
old,  who,  undaunted  by  her  hard  face  and  snappish 
voice,  insisted  upon  following  her  around,  and 
"helping"  her  in  her  manifold  occupations.  He 


AN  ARRIVAL.  63 

was  a  boy  who  did  not  know  how  to  be  snubbed, 
and  had  fairly  won  his  way  with  his  ungracious 
aunt,  by  sheer  persistence  in  his  unwelcome  atten 
tions.  To  all  her  hospitable  intimations  that  he 
and  his  family  had  brought  an  immense  addition 
to  her  cares  and  labors,  —  which  certainly  was 
true,  —  he  opposed  smiles  and  caresses,  and  as 
surances  that  so  long  as  he  was  there  he  would 
share  and  lighten  all  these ;  appearing  to  think 
that  she  complained  and  scolded  only  to  draw 
forth  his  sympathy  and  aid. 

Who  could  stand  out  against  such  a  fellow  ? 
Not  even  "  Matildy  Jane."  And  she  had  suc 
cumbed  ;  at  least,  so  far  as  he  was  concerned. 

The  mother  of  the  helpless  group,  pale,  feeble, 
and  careworn  though  she  was,  had  already  shown 
herself  eager  to  lessen,  so  far  as  possible,  the 
burden  she  had  brought  upon  the  family  of  her 
husband,  and  sat  peeling  potatoes  from  a  huge 
basket  on  the  one  side,  while  a  pan  of  apples,  duly 
pared  and  quartered,  stood  awaiting  the  oven 
upon  the  other.  Plainly  Matilda  Jane  had  had  no 
scruples  of  delicacy  in  availing  herself  of  the 
services  of  her  newly  arrived  sister-in-law. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  them  all, 
Captain  Yorke  ? "  asked  Milly,  pityingly,  as  she 
stood  beside  the  old  sailor  in  the  porch,  while 
aunt  Emily  interviewed  Mrs.  Yorke  and  the 
widow.  "This  is  such  a  care  for  you." 

"  Do  with  'em  ? "  repeated  the  veteran,  appar- 


64  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

ently  quite  undismayed  by  the  prospect  before 
him.  "  Waal,  I  reckon  we've  got  to  be  eyes  an' 
backs  an'  lungs  to  'em,  for  they've  run  mighty 
short  of  them  conveniences.  Let  alone  Theodore, 
an'  that  feller  over  there,"  — nodding  towards  the 
kitchen-door,  within  which  Matilda  Jane  was  to  be 
seen  mixing  biscuit,  with  the  boy  beside  her,  his 
round,  fat  arms  up  to  the  elbows  in  the  dough, 
with  which  he  was  bedaubing  himself  and  every 
thing  about  him,  unrestrained  by  his  subdued 
aunt,  —  "let  alone  that  feller  over  there,  there 
ain't  the  makin'  of  a  hull  one  among  'em.  I  guess 
they've  got  to  be  took  care  of ;  an',  if  the  Almighty 
hadn't  a  meant  us  to  do  it,  he  wouldn't  a  sent  'em 
here.  Them's  my  opinions,  an'  me  an'  Mis'  Yorke 
we  ain't  the  ones  to  throw  back  his  orderin's  an' 
purposin's  in  his  face.  They  do  seem  a  bit  like 
a  hospital  full,  though,  don't  they  ? "  he  added,  un 
consciously  expressing  Mr.  Winston's  view  of  the 
situation.  "  Me  an'  Mis'  Yorke,  we  foun'  out  the 
truth  of  the  Scriptur'  sayin',  how  sharper  than  an 
achin'  tooth  it  is  to  have  a  thankless  child,  an' 
Tom,  —  I  don't  min'  sayin'  it  to  you, — he  was 
thankless  enough,  though  he's  dead  an'  gone,  an' 
his  old  father  ain't  the  one  to  cast  stones  at  him 
now.  But  me  an'  Mis'  Yorke,  we  don't  want  to 
make  out  the  truth  of  that  other  Scriptur',  that 
the  sins  of  the  father  shall  be  visited  on  the  chil 
dren, —  leastways,  not  Tom's  children;  they  ain't 
to  blame  for  his  short-comin's ;  an',  meanin'  no 


AN  ARRIVAL.  65 

disrespec'  nor  onbelief,  that  Scriptur'  do  always 
seem  to  me  a  little  hard  on  the  children.  Maybe 
—  who  knows  —  them  youngsters  will  ha'  brought 
a  blessin'  with  'em  ;  an'  my  opinions  is  they  has, 
when  I  see  Mis'  Yorke  a  cuddlin'  an'  croonin'  over 
that  little  hunchback.  Now  she's  awful  contented 
an'  easy-minded  like  to  have  somethin'  to  pet,  for 
she's  allers  a  hankerin'  after  babies  an'  them  sort 
of  critters.  We  was  kinder  took  aback,  for  sartain, 
when  Maria,  —  her  name's  Maria,  Tom's  widder's 
is>  —  when  she  come  right  in  with  the  hull  crowd 
followin',  an'  John  Waters'  wagon,  what  they 
come  from  the  station  in,  standin'  at  the  gate,  an' 
all  the  luggage  in  it ;  an'  them  gentlemen  was 
here  gettin'  bait  an'  askin'  about  the  fishin',  an' 
Matildy  Jane  she  kinder  flew  out,  an'  one  of  the 
little  ones  was  hollerin',  —  an'  it  was  all  kinder 
Bedlamy.  But  it's  all  come  right  now  ;  an'  Maria, 
she's  a  willin'  soul,  an*  if  Jabez,"  the  old  man's 
son-in-law,  and  a  power  in  the  household,  "if 
Jabez  an'  Charlotte  don't  be  grumpy  over  it,  we'll 
all  get  along  as  pretty  as  a  psalm-book.  Jabez, 
he  an'  Charlotte  has  gone  to  Millville  for  the  day, 
an'  all  this  is  unbeknownst  to  them." 

Clearly,  the  captain  was  somewhat  in  dread  of 
Jabez  and  Jabez's  opinions  ;  but  Milly  had  no  fear 
that  the  strangers  would  be  sent  adrift  in  deference 
to  these. 

But  something  must  be  done  to  help  the  old 
people  with  the  burden  which  had  so  suddenly 


66  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

fallen  upon  them.  The  gray-haired  seaman  was 
comparatively  vigorous  still,  but  his  sea-faring  days 
were  over ;  and  while  he  had  put  by  a  sum  suffi 
cient  to  keep  him,  his  good  wife,  and  "  Matildy 
Jane"  in  comfort,  this  unlocked  for  addition  to  the 
family,  helpless  and  crippled  as  the  grandchildren 
were,  would  be  too  great  a  drain  upon  his  little 
fund.  As  this  had  been  placed  in  father's  hands 
for  investment,  we  knew  to  a  fraction  what  he  had 
to  depend  upon,  and  that  it  was  not  enough  to 
provide  for  all.  The  sturdy  independence  of  the 
captain  would  no  doubt  revolt  against  the  idea  of 
receiving  any  actual  pecuniary  assistance,  as  would 
that  of  his  wife  ;  but  some  way  must  be  contrived 
of  lessening  their  responsibilities  and  cares.  Jabez 
Strong  and  his  wife  must  share  these,  although  he 
might  and  probably  would  be  "grumpy;"  but 
even  then  it  would  be  hard  to  meet  all  demands, 
without  depriving  the  old  couple  of  their  accus 
tomed  comforts.  The  cheerful,  it-will-all-come- 
right  spirit  in  which  they  had  received  the 
intruders, — 7  could  not  look  upon  them  in  any 
other  light,  —  made  us  all  the  more  anxious  to  do 
this  ;  and,  before  night,  Milly  and  I  were  exercis 
ing  our  brains  with  all  manner  of  expedients  for 
accomplishing  it  without  hurting  their  pride  and 
their  feelings. 

Meanwhile,  our  elders,  with  less  of  enthusiasm 
perhaps,  but  in  a  more  practical  spirit,  were  con 
sidering  the  same  matter ;  and  the  little  ones,  our 


AN  ARRIVAL.  6? 

Allie  and  Daisy,  having  also  heard  of  the  influx 
of  children  at  the  Yorkes'  cottage,  had  laden 
themselves  with  toys  and  picture-books,  and  per 
suaded  mammy  to  escort  them  thither.  Our  little 
sisters  had  so  burdened  themselves,  that  they 
needed  assistance  to  transport  all  these  gifts  to 
Captain  Yorke's  house ;  and  they  could  not  look 
for  any  great  amount  of  this  from  mammy,  who 
had  all  she  could  do  to  convey  her  own  portly 
person,  and  the  enormous  umbrella  without  which 
she  never  stirred,  as  a  possibly  needed  protection 
against  sun  or  rain,  as  the  case  might  be.  So  they 
begged  that  Bill  and  Jim  might  act  as  carriers, 
coaxing  Thomas  to  spare  them  from  pantry  duty,  — 
a  matter  not  attended  with  much  difficulty,  as  the 
old  butler  was  only  too  willing  to  indulge  them  on 
all  occasions,  even  to  the  length  of  taking  double 
work  on  his  own  shoulders. 

They  all  set  forth  on  their  errand  of  charity  in 
high  glee ;  but  Jim  returned  from  the  expedition 
with  a  face  and  air  of  such  portentous  gravity,  so 
different  from  his  usual  happy-go-lucky  bearing, 
that  Milly  was  moved  to  ask  if  any  thing  unpleas 
ant  had  occurred. 

"  Captain  Yorke  nor  his  folks  didn't  do  nothin', 
Miss  Milly,"  answered  Jim. 

"  Who,  then  ?  "  asked  Milly. 

"Well,  no  one,  Miss  Milly,"  he  replied.  "  I  was 
on'y  thinkin'  what  a  lot  of  'em  there  was,  an'  it 
bothers  me." 


68  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"  So  many  Yorkes,  do  you  mean  ? "  queried 
Milly,  rather  wondering  at  his  evident  perturba 
tion. 

"  Such  a  many  blind  an'  hunchback  an'  sick 
folks,"  he  said ;  "  an'  how  are  they  all  goin'  to  be 
done  for.  The  more  you  try  to  do  for  some  of 
'em,  the  more  of  'em  seem  to  come  up.  There's 
Matty  and  Tony  Blair,  who  me  an  Bill  has  took 
into  our  keepin'  soon  as  we  get  to  the  city ;  an'  now 
here  comes  a  Yorke  hunchback,  an'  a  Yorke  blind, 
an'  a  Yorke  sick  baby,  all  sudden  like  ;  an'  I  say 
that's  pretty  hard  on  the  ole  captain.  I  like  the 
captain  firstrate,  I  do,  Miss  Milly;  an'  I  don't 
like  to  see  him  put  upon  that  way.  Some  of  us 
ought  to  see  to  'em  for  him,  but  you  can't  do  for 
all." 

"  No,  Jim,"  Milly  said,  soothingly,  to  the  young 
philanthropist,  "we  cannot  do  for  all  who  need; 
but,  if  each  one  does  his  or  her  mite,  we  can 
among  us  greatly  lighten  the  load  of  human  suf 
fering ;  and  that  is  what  we  must  all  try  to  do, 
without  making  ourselves  unhappy  over  that  which 
is  beyond  our  reach  or  means." 

"  You  did  a  mighty  big  mite,  when  you  did  for 
Bill  an'  me,  Miss  Milly,"  said  her  pupil  and/r^/^-/, 
looking  gratefully  at  her.  "  There  ain't  no  half 
way  'bout  you,  Miss  Milly.  But  I  would  like  to 
help  Captain  Yorke,  if  I  could ;  an'  I  was  thinkin', 
could  I  do  up  them  sums  again  'bout  the  peanuts, 
an'  get  out  a  share  for  the  Yorkes." 


AN  ARRIVAL.  69 

Milly  laughed,  for  she  had  heard  of  Jim's  plans, 
and  of  the  various  objects  which  were  to  be  bene 
fited  by  the  "  peanut-undertaking ; "  and,  as  fre 
quent  new  claims  and  claimants  appeared  to  share 
in  the  profits,  she  argued  that  the  proportion  of 
each  would  be  small. 

"Jim,"  she  said,  "  I  think  I  would  not  undertake 
to  help  the  Yorkes  as  well  as  all  the  other  people 
you  have  upon  your  list.  They  shall  not  be 
allowed  to  suffer,  you  may  be  sure ;  Mr.  Rutherford 
and  Mr.  Livingstone  will  see  to  that." 

"  Miss  Milly,"  he  answered,  reproachfully,  "  I 
on'y  didn't  reckon  up  Captain  Yorke  an'  his  folks 
before,  'cause  they  hadn't  need  of  it.  Now  they 
will,  with  all  that  raft  of  broke-up  children  on  'em  ; 
an'  do  you  think  I'd  go  to  passin'  'em  over  when 
they  was  so  good  to  me  ?  No,  that  I  wouldn't ; 
I  ain't  never  goin'  to  forget  how  Mis'  Yorke 
nussed  me,  an'  made  much  of  me,  when  I  was  sick 
there  in  her  house  ;  an'  they  were  good  to  me,  too, 
when  I  was  a  little  chap,  an'  got  shipwrecked  on 
to  the  shore.  Miss  Milly,  do  you  know,"  —  hesi 
tatingly,  —  "  I'd  liever  take  some  out  of  the  'lection 
expenses  share,  than  to  pass  over  the  Yorkes.  I 
would,  really,  Miss  Milly." 

Truly,  our  Milly  was  reaping  a  rich  fruit  of 
generosity,  loyalty,  and  earnest  endeavor,  from  the 
seed  of  self-sacrifice  and  charity  which  she  herself 
had  shown  in  faith  and  hope.  And  this,  too,  in 
ground  which  the  on-lookers  had  judged  to  be 


7<D  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

so  hardened  and  stony  that  no  harvest  was  to 
be  gathered  therefrom.  Oh,  my  Milly,  sweet 
soul, 

"  Great  feelings  hath  she  of  her  own, 
Which  lesser  souls  may  never  know." 


CHAPTER  IV. 
"FOOD    FOR  THE    GODS. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

"FOOD   FOR   THE   GODS.'* 

BEHOLD  our  household  now  settled  in  our  city 
home,  —  our  summer  by  the  sea,  with  all  its  many 
pleasures,  and  its  measure  of  perplexities  and  anx 
ieties,  a  thing  of  the  past ;  our  stay  at  Oaklands, 
where  papa  had  enjoyed  himself  to  his  heart's 
content,  all  the  more  for  his  enforced  absence  of 
the  previous  months,  also  over  ;  and  the  different 
members  of  the  family,  according  to  his  or  her 
individual  taste,  occupied  with  divers  plans  and 
projects  for  the  winter's  duties  and  diversions. 

In  view  of  certain  contingencies  which  were 
likely  to  arise  in  the  future,  —  father  and  mother 
said  in  the/^r  future ;  and,  indeed,  although  it  was 
pleasant  to  contemplate  them  from  a  distant 
standpoint,  I  was  in  no  haste  to  leave  my  clearly 
beloved  home,  —  in  view  of  these,  and  with  the 
comfort  and  well-being  of  a  certain  young  man 
before  my  eyes,  to  say  nothing  of  my  own  pride 
in  my  housekeeping  capabilities,  I  had  chosen  to 
enlist  myself  as  a  member  of  a  "cooking-class." 
Said  cooking-class  was  to  meet  once  a  week,  in 
the  afternoon,  at  the  house  of  each  member,  in 

73 


74  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD  S  NIECES. 

turn,  when  we  were  to  try  our  maiden  hands  on 
the  composition  of  any  such  dishes  as  we  might 
choose ;  after  which,  certain  martyrs  —  namely, 
the  aforesaid  young  man,  and  sundry  of  his  friends 
and  associates  —  were  to  be  allowed  to  join  us, 
and,  in  case  they  were  not  too  fearful  of  conse 
quences,  to  test  the  results  of  our  efforts.  Milly, 
who  had  a  regular  engagement  for  the  afternoon 
appointed,  was  not  able  to  aid  in  the  culinary 
efforts,  but  pleaded,  that,  as  she  contributed  a 
sister,  she  might  be  allowed  to  join  the  later  enter 
tainment  of  the  evening.  And  the  plea  was  con 
sidered  all  sufficient,  for  who  would  not  choose 
Milly  when  she  might  be  had  ?  So  said  Bessie 
Sandford,  our  inseparable  friend  and  intimate; 
and  there  was  no  dissenting  voice  among  the  gay 
circle  of  girls. 

She  did  not  intend,  however,  to  be  without  her 
share  in  the  flesh-pots  which  were  to  furnish  the 
more  substantial  part  of  the  entertainment;  and 
having  a  natural  gift  for  cooking,  —  a  faculty  in 
which  I  was  altogether  wanting,  —  she  promised 
to  prepare  some  dainty  dish  beforehand,  and  send 
it  as  her  share  in  the  feast. 

My  last  essay  in  that  line  had  been  in  the 
shape  of  some  gingerbread,  of  which  article  of  diet 
father  was  very  fond,  and  I  had  exerted  my  ener 
gies  on  his  behalf.  When  it  was  presented  at  the 
Sunday-evening  tea-table,  the  family,  excepting 
papa,  contented  themselves  with  viewing  it  re- 


"FOOD  FOR    THE   GODS."  75 

spectfully  from  a  distance  ;  even  old  Thomas,  as 
he  passed  the  plate,  regarding  it  doubtfully  and 
askance. 

Father  heroically  endeavored  to  taste  it ;  but 
mother,  whose  regard  for  his  physical  well-being 
outweighed  even  her  consideration  for  my  feel 
ings,  protested ;  and,  with  an  air  of  relief,  he 
obeyed  the  suggestion. 

"What  did  you  say  it  is?  Ginger  bricks?'1 
asked  Douglas. 

I  took  no  notice  of  this,  but  later  bade  Thomas 
take  all  the  gingerbread  down-stairs. 

"  Yes,  Miss,"  he  answered,  with  an  "  I  wouldn't 
care  if  I  were  you"  sort  of  an  air;  and  the 
gingerbread  disappeared.  The  next  morning, 
however,  as  I  went  to  the  store-room  to  execute 
some  small  order  for  mother,  our  old  cook  con 
fronted  me. 

"Miss  Amy,"  she  said,  "whatever  will  I  do 
with  that  gingerbread  ?  There  isn't  one  in  the 
kitchen  will  touch  it,  not  even  them  b'ys;  an'  all's 
mostly  grist  that  comes  to  their  mills." 

"Oh,  give  it  away  to  any  one  that  comes," 
I  answered  indifferently,  and  concealing,  as  I  best 
might,  my  chagrin  at  this  added  mortification. 

But  later  in  the  day,  Allie  and  Daisy,  returning 
from  their  walk  with  mammy,  rushed  into  the 
house  in  a  state  of  frantic  indignation. 

"  Amy,  Amy,"  they  cried ;  "  Mary  Jane  gave 
your  gingerbread  to  a  tramp,  and  he  looked  at  it 


76  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

and  smelled  it  and  tasted  it,  and  then  just  laid 
it  on  the  area  steps  and  ran  away.  And  Jim  saw 
him  ;  and  he  picked  up  the  gingerbread,  and  broke 
it  by  throwing  it  on  the  sidewalk,  and  then  threw 
the  pieces  at  the  tramp  ;  and  one  hit  him,  and  it 
was  so  hard  it  seemed  to  hurt  him,  but  he  just  ran 
all  the  faster." 

From  that  time,  more  than  a  year  since,  I  had 
forsworn  all  manner  of  cooking,  but  now  it  seemed 
to  me  that  the  exigencies  of  the  case  required 
me  to  turn  my  thoughts  to  the  matter  ;  hence,  when 
it  was  proposed,  I  had  been  only  too  ready  to  join 
the  cooking-class. 

The  lady  who  had,  from  pure  love  of  her  kind, 
and  a  special  interest  in  young  girls,  undertaken 
to  superintend  and  direct  our  efforts,  was  an  old 
friend  of  my  mother  and  aunt  Emily  ;  the  clearest, 
the  sweetest,  the  most  guileless,  of  maiden  ladies, 
with  a  simplicity  and  lack  of  worldly  knowledge 
which  were  almost  childlike,  but  very  talented, 
and  with  a  mind  intelligent  and  cultivated  to  an 
unusual  degree. 

She  was  also  famous  among  us  for  all  kinds  of 
handiwork,  — for  the  delicious  cakes,  soups,  and  all 
manner  of  dishes  which  she  could  concoct  ;  for 
her  painting  and  drawing,  and  her  exquisite  and 
original  fancy-work.  Simple,  although  delicate, 
in  her  tastes,  her  personal  wants  were  but  few  ; 
and  being  possessed  of  a  small  income,  which 
placed  her  beyond  the  need  of  employing  her 


"FOOD  FOR    THE   GODS."  77 

varied  talents  on  her  own  behalf,  she  delighted  in 
turning  them  t©  account  for  others.  She  stood 
singularly  alone,  with  no  direct  family  ties  or 
responsibilities ;  and  probably  no  human  being 
but  herself  ever  knew  the  amount  of  work  accom 
plished  by  those  slender,  high-bred  looking  hands 
for  the  benefit  and  delight  of  others.  The  beauti 
ful  paintings  and  embroideries  which  she  sent  to 
the  various  societies  for  art  work,  and  which  were 
always  accepted  without  demur,  meeting  as  they 
did  with  an  ever  ready  sale,  brought  their  profits, 
not  to  her,  but  to  others  less  gifted  and  more 
needy  than  herself.  And  many  a  dainty  trifle 
wrought  by  her  graced  some  sick-room,  or  home 
of  straitened  means,  where  there  was  neither  time 
nor  talent  to  be  given  for  such  adornment. 

Careless  as  to  the  prevailing  mode,  although 
exceedingly  neat  about  her  own  personal  attire, 
she  was  somewhat  quaint  and  old-fashioned  in 
appearance ;  at  least,  she  had  been  until  a  short 
time  since,  when  Milly  and  I,  with  Bessie  Sandford, 
who  was  also  a  distant  relation  of  Miss  Craven's, 
had  taken  her  in  hand,  and  by  dint  of  a  little 
teasing,  and  much  persistence  and  coaxing,  had 
induced  her  to  submit  herself  to  our  dictation  in 
the  matter  of  dress.  But  she  could  not,  quite  yet, 
reconcile  herself  to  our  requirements  ;  at  least,  not 
without  a  little  flutter  and  protest  against  such 
innovations  as  we  insisted  upon, — against  tied- 
back  skirts,  hair  a  little  more  in  the  fashion  than 


78  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

she  had  been  accustomed  to  wear  hers,  and  collars 
and  fichus  of  a  more  modern  date: 

Hearing,  the  dear  soul,  that  certain  of  our  circle 
of  girls  were  anxious  to  attain  some  practical 
knowledge  of  cooking,  and  to  attach  to  the  acqui 
sition  of  that  knowledge  such  "fun "as  we  might, 
she  had  offered,  when  applied  to  for  certain  of  her 
receipts,  to  instruct  the  class  which  we  were 
desirous  of  forming.  The  offer  was  eagerly  seized 
upon,  and  so  it  came  to  pass  that  she  had  been 
installed  as  teacher  ar\d  director  of  the  mysteries 
in  which  we  were  about  to  dabble. 

Miss  Craven,  —  "  cousin  Serena,"  as  we  always 
called  her  —  had  been  one  of  the  warmest  advo 
cates  of  Milly's  cause,  when  that  young  woman 
was  intent  on  taking  upon  herself  the  charge  of 
Bill  and  Jim  ;  and,  had  Milly  not  been  allowed  to 
do  so,  I  think  that  she  would  have  undertaken  it 
herself.  She  was  continually  making  little  gifts 
to  these  boys,  not  always,  it  is  true,  just  adapted  to 
their  needs  or  to  their  fancies  ;  but  they  had  the 
grace,  rough  as  their  antecedents  had  been,  to 
appreciate  the  kindness  which  prompted  them ; 
and  their  room  in  the  stable  was  decked  with  many 
a  little  bit  of  ornamentation  bestowed  by  her. 
For  one  of  her  pet  theories  was,  that  one  could 
educate  the  masses  to  a  refining  love  of  art,  if  one 
only  kept  such  elevating  influences  constantly 
before  them. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  cooking-class  was  held 


"FOOD  FOR    THE   GODS."  79 

at  our  house.  Most  of  the  girls  were  content  to 
try  their  hands  on  this  occasion  on  some  simple 
dish  ;  but  I  —  more  ambitious,  and  also  for  excel 
lent  reasons  of  my  own  —  had  determined  to  pro 
vide  a  certain  delicate  and  highly  flavored  cream. 
In  order  that  there  might  be  no  failure  in  this, 
and  that  I  might,  by  an  unqualified  success,  retrieve 
my  reputation,  I  surreptitiously  sought  in  advance 
two  or  three  private  lessons  from  Miss  Craven. 
These  she  was  only  too  ready  to  give ;  and  after 
practising  at  home,  closely  following  her  directions, 
and  assisted  by  old  Thomas,  who  was  almost  as 
anxious  for  my  triumph  as  I  was  myself,  I  suc 
ceeded  in  turning  out  my  cream,  pure,  rich,  white, 
just  the  right  consistency,  and  deliciously  flavored. 
It  was  but  a  small  quantity,  however;  just  a  trial 
sample,  not  enough  for  family  distribution  ;  and, 
calling  Allie  and  Daisy  to  the  secret  session  which 
Thomas  and  I  were  holding  in  the  butler's  pantry, 
I  divided  the  luscious  morsel  between  them,  exact 
ing,  first,  the  most  solemn  promise  of  secrecy. 
Allie  demurred  to  this  at  first,  having  conscien 
tious  scruples  about  keeping  any  thing  from 
mother ;  but  she  was  finally  persuaded  to  look 
upon  it  as  a  preparation  for  an  agreeable  surprise, 
as  I  assured  her  that  this  was  only  the  prelude  to 
a  more  extensive  treat  to  the  whole  family,  as  well 
as  the  class.  Moreover,  the  sight  of  the  dainty, 
and  Daisy's  enjoyment  of  it,  were  too  much  for  her, 
she  having  rather  a  leaning  towards  the  flesh-pots. 


80  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

I  was  quite  uplifted  in  my  own  estimation  for 
the  next  twenty-four  hours  or  so,  and  pleased 
myself  mightily  with  the  thought  of  out-doing  all 
the  other  girls  with  my  dainty,  luscious  dish. 
Allie  and  Daisy  could  be  trusted  "not  to  tell," 
when  they  had  once  given  their  promise ;  but  they 
went  about  with  a  portentous  aspect  of  having  a 
secret,  which  almost  made  me  regret  that  I  had 
taken  them  into  my  confidence. 

It  being  leap-year,  and  our  advantages,  or  possi 
bly  disadvantages,  in  connection  with  that  period 
being  about  to  come  to  an  end  with  the  close  of 
the  year,  we  had  determined  upon  making  the 
most  of  them.  Hence  our  guests,  when  they 
should  arrive,  were  to  submit  to  be  waited  upon, 
and  to  receive  such  attentions  as  they  were  accus 
tomed  to  bestow  upon  us. 

The  day  and  the  hour  had  arrived,  and  the 
members  of  the  class,  each  one  with  an  enormous 
protecting  apron  over  her  pretty  dress,  had 
assembled  in  our  front  basement,  which,  being 
convenient  to  the  kitchen  and  store-room,  had 
been  chosen  as  the  workshop  for  the  occasion. 
Each  was  intent  on  her  own  dish,  and  each  in  her 
turn  was  superintended  and  overlooked  by  cousin 
Serena;  but  merry  talk  and  laughter  held  their 
own,  in  spite  of  business. 

"What  are  you  making,  Amy?"  asked  Mollie 
Morgan.  "  How  delicious  and  creamy  that  looks, 
and  how  readily  you  go  to  work  about  it.  Why,  I 


"FOOD  FOR    THE   GODS."  8 1 

thought  you  were  no  cook  at  all ;  but  one  would 
think  you  had  been  doing  that  all  your  life.  What 
is  it  ? "  she  repeated,  as  I  cast  a  guilty,  deprecat 
ing  look  at  Miss  Craven.  But  cousin  Serena  had 
no  thought  of  betraying  me,  and,  although  she 
must  have  heard,  paid  no  attention  to  Mollie's 
remarks. 

"  It's  food  for  the  gods,"  I  answered  carelessly, 
as  I  tossed  the  luscious  compound  about  with  a 
spoon. 

"  Do  you  mean  that  is  the  name,  or  that  it  is 
your  opinion  that  it  is  worthy  to  be  food  for  the 
gods  ?  "  asked  Bessie  Sanford,  who  paused  at  my 
elbow,  bearing  in  her  hands  a  tray  of  delicate 
sponge-cakes. 

"  Both,"  I  answered. 

"  Amy  is  ambitious ;  see  what  she  is  making, 
girls,"  said  Mollie ;  and  several,  gathering  round, 
peered  at  the  diet  of  the  gods  with,  as  I  imagined, 
envy  and  admiration. 

"  There  ! "  I  said,  triumphantly,  and  as  though 
I  were  a  cordon  bleii,  accustomed  to  turn  off  feasts 
for  an  emperor  —  "  There,  now  it  is  ready  to  go 
into  the  moulds.  Oh,  no,  I  have  forgotten  the 
flavoring.  Jim,"  for  the  boy  was  there  to  wait 
upon  us,  and  to  run  upon  errands  —  "Jim,  go  and 
ask  Mary  Jane  for  a  bottle  of  vanilla  flavoring." 

Now,  I  might  have  known  better  than  to  send 
Jim  on  this  errand,  for  between  him  and  Mary 
Jane  there  was  a  state  of  warfare,  due,  I  must  say, 


82  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

to  her  ill-temper  and  prejudice.  Formerly  it  had 
been  productive  of  much  annoyance  and  discom 
fort  to  the  household,  and  had  at  last  reached  such 
a  climax,  that  father,  who  never  interfered  in 
domestic  details,  had  unexpectedly  taken  the  mat 
ter  in  hand,  and  given  the  old  woman  such  a 
warning,  that  she  had  not  since  that  time  dared 
to  give  open  vent  to  her  dislike.  But  the  fires, 
though  smouldering,  still  were  alive ;  and  Jim 
never  cared  to  ask  her  for  any  thing,  or  to  carry  a 
message  to  her. 

However,  now  he  ran  into  the  kitchen,  and 
presently  returned  with  a  bottle  which  he  handed 
to  me.  Glancing  at  it,  I  saw  that  it  was  properly 
labelled,  and  I  flavored  with  the  contents  accord 
ing  to  directions ;  and,  nothing  doubting,  then 
called  upon  cousin  Serena  to  stamp  it  with  her 
approbation,  which  she  did.  After  which  I  poured 
the  mixture  into  the  moulds,  and  set  it  away. 

Fairly  well  satisfied  with  the  results  of  our 
afternoon's  work,  we  removed  such  traces  of  it  as 
had  left  their  impress,  took  a  short  rest,  and  were 
ready  in  due  time  to  receive  our  leap-year  guests. 

We  were  to  have  a  high  tea ;  the  rest  of  our 
family,  with  cousin  Serena,  dining  at  an  earlier 
hour  than  usual  to  accommodate  us,  and  taking 
their  later  repast  in  the  library. 

There  was  naturally  much  fun  and  jollity  over 
the  reversal  of  the  usual  order  of  things,  and  we 
carried  out  our  programme  to  the  farthest ;  while 


"FOOD  FOR    THE    GODS."  83 

our  gentlemen  displayed  a  degree  of  inefficiency 
and  helplessness  which  would  have  disgraced  a 
six-year-old  girl  with  a  moderate  amount  of  sense. 

All  went  well  during  the  earlier  part  of  the 
feast.  Dish  after  dish  was  partaken  of,  and  com 
mended  ;  and  there  was  a  universal  chorus  of 
approval  for  the  fair  cooks. 

"  It  is  going  to  pass  off  without  a  failure,"  I 
said  to  myself,  recalling  triumphantly  the  scepti 
cism  as  to  our  capabilities,  which  some  of  our 
friends  had  testified. 

And  now  appeared,  in  its  turn,  my  own  dish,  — 
the  "food  for  the  gods,"  —  brought  by  Thomas 
and  his  assistants,  with  a  little  extra  flourish  as 
the  work  of  their  own  young  lady. 

We  were  in  groups  of  four,  at  little  tables  placed 
about  the  room ;  and  the  gentlemen,  as  had  been 
arranged,  were  helped  first  to  each  course.  Hap 
pening  to  raise  my  eyes  to  address  the  youth  upon 
my  right  hand,  I  saw  his  countenance  suddenly 
distorted  by  a  contortion  expressive  of  any  thing 
but  pleasure.  Turning  involuntarily  to  my  left- 
hand  neighbor,  who  happened  to  be  Mr.  Winston, 
I  saw  a  grimace,  almost  similar,  pass  over  his 
face,  followed  by  a  look  of  blank  astonishment 
at '  me. 

Then  came  the  voice  of  my  brother  Edward 
from  an  adjoining  table,  as  he  sat  with  uplifted 
spoon,  gazing  down  upon  the  contents  of  his 
plate. 


84  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"Amy,"  he  said,  "what  under  the  heavens  is 
this  ? " 

"  Food  for  the  gods,"  I  answered,  startled  and 
dismayed ;  for  I  could  not  help  seeing  that  some 
thing  must  be  very  wrong  to  betray  Edward  into 
such  a  breach  of  etiquette. 

"  Then  we  will  not  deprive  the  gods  of  it,"  said 
my  brother ;  "  and  may  the  celestial  —  or  was  it 
for  the  infernal  deities  that  it  was  compounded  ? 
—  forgive  you  for  inflicting  this  upon  them. 
Winston,  spare  yourself,  my  dear  fellow;  the 
utmost  stretch  of  politeness  could  not  demand 
such  a  sacrifice  of  you." 

For  Fred  Winston,  true  gentleman  and  loyal 
knight  that  he  was,  was  making  the  most  heroic 
efforts  to  swallow  a  little  more  of  my  handiwork. 

And  this  from  Edward,  usually  the  most  chival 
rous  of  brothers ! 

I  glanced  around  the  room,  and  saw  a  similar 
state  of  affairs  on  every  side.  All  those  who  had 
been  unfortunate  enough  to  taste  the  "food  for 
the  gods  "  wore  a  more  or  less  distressed  express 
ion.  I  plunged  my  own  spoon  into  my  plate,  and 
carried  it  to  my  mouth. 

Pah !  Any  thing  more  nauseous  I  had  seldom 
tasted.  The  gods  were  indeed  to  be  pitied  ! 

I  covered  my  face  with  my  hands  as  a  laugh 
pealed  around  the  room;  and  Norman  came 
dashing  into  it,  and  up  to  me. 

"Amy,"  he  said,  in  a  loud  whisper  which  could 


"FOOD   FOR    THE   GODS."  85 

be  heard  by  all,  "  mother  says  don't  let  any  one 
touch  that  stuff  of  yours.  It's  awful !  " 

"  Awful  "  indeed  !  But  it  was  too  late  ;  enough 
tasting  had  been  done  to  cover  me,  as  I  felt,  with 
everlasting  disgrace. 

"Amy  was  so  awfully  cock-a-hoop  about  her 
new  dish,  too,"  began  Norman  ;  "and  now"  — 

But  his  brotherly  remarks  were  cut  short  by 
my  left-hand  neighbor,  with  an  intimation,  that,  if 
he  had  any  regard  for  his  physical  or  mental  well- 
being,  he  would  at  least  postpone  them. 

Overcome  with  mortification  and  chagrin,  I 
would  fain  have  left  the  room,  not  only  to  hide 
my  diminished  head,  but  also  to  consult  cousin 
Serena  on  the  possible  cause  of  this  mishap,  when 
Jim  came  up  to  me,  and  said,  in  an  aside  even 
louder  than  Norman's,  — 

"  Miss  Amy,  it  wouldn't  poison  none  of  'em, 
would  it  ? " 

When  Jim  had  any  thing  on  his  mind  it  must 
come  out,  regardless  of  time  or  place ;  and  there 
was  that  in  the  boy's  tone  and  manner  which 
instantly  convinced  me  that  he  knew  more  than 
appeared  on  the  surface,  and  I  turned  hastily  to 
him:  — 

"Poison  any  one  ?     Why  should  it  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  It's  the  liniment,  Miss  Amy,"  he  answered 
nervously ;  "  an',  if  they  was  poisoned,  me  or  you 
might  be  took  up.  We'd  best  have  a  doctor, 
maybe." 


86  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

Matters  were  growing  serious ;  and  springing 
from  my  seat,  without  apology  to  my  guests,  I 
bade  the  boy  come  into  Thomas's  pantry.  Thither 
I  was  followed  by  Fred  and  Edward,  who  heard 
the  confession  of  the  frightened  lad. 

"It's  the  liniment,  Miss  Amy,"  he  repeated. 
"  Mary  Jane's  liniment  for  her  rheumatics  ;  but 
I  think  it  ought  to  be  her  to  be  took  up  more 
than  you  an'  me." 

"  Speak  out,  boy,  and  tell  us  what  you  mean," 
said  Edward,  imperatively;  for  he  felt,  that,  if 
there  was  any  reason  for  Jim's  alarm,  there  was  no 
time  to  be  lost. 

Thus  pressed,  Jim  said  that  when  I  had  sent 
him  for  the  flavoring,  he  had  caught  up  a  bottle 
which  he  supposed  to  be  the  right  one,  and  ran 
back  without  consulting  the  old  cook. 

Nothing  doubting,  I  had  made  use  of  the  con 
tents  ;  and  he  had  possessed  his  soul  in  peace  until 
a  few  minutes  since,  when  Thomas  had  sent  him 
on  an  errand  to  the  kitchen,  and  he  had  heard 
Mary  Jane  bewailing  the  loss  of  her  bottle  of 
"rheumatiz  liniment."  She  at  once  charged  him 
with  hiding  it  to  torment  her,  but,  before  he  could 
defend  himself,  one  of  the  other  servants  asked 
what  kind  of  a  bottle  it  was  ;  to  which  she  replied, 
that  it  was  a  vanilla-bottle  into  which  she  had 
emptied  the  liniment,  as  that  in  which  the  lotion 
belonged  had  been  cracked,  and  that  she  had 
stood  it  "just  there." 


"FOOD   FOR    THE   GODS."  8/ 

A  horrible  conviction  rushed  upon  Jim:  "just 
there  "  was  the  place  from  which  he  had  taken 
the  bottle  he  brought  to  me.  He  dashed  into  the 
front  basement,  found  there  the  bottle  in  question, 
and  speedily  verified  his  own  fears  ;  then  hurried 
up-stairs  to  prevent  Thomas  from  taking  in  the 
"food  for  the  gods."  Alas!  it  was  too  late:  the 
dish  was  already  dispensed,  a  due  portion  having 
also  been  sent  in  to  the  tea-table  in  the  library; 
and  my  disgrace  was  an  accomplished  fact. 

Dread  of  the  after  consequences  now  took  pos 
session  of  Jim,  and  this  impelled  him  to  an  imme 
diate  disclosure  of  the  mistake.  Indeed,  none  of 
us  were  without  our  misgivings ;  and  Edward, 
sending  for  the  bottle,  went  with  it  at  once  to  our 
family  physician,  who  lived  but  a  few  doors  from  us. 

Dr.  Graham  laughed  heartily  when  he  heard  of 
the  mishap,  and  told  Edward  that  there  was  no 
cause  for  alarm  ;  as,  although  he  would  not  advise 
unlimited  indulgence  in  the  lotion  as  a  beverage, 
such  harmful  qualities  as  its  ingredients  possessed 
would  be  reduced  to  a  minimum  when  mixed  in 
the  proportion  Edward  mentioned  with  the  other 
articles  of  which  the  "  food  for  the  gods "  was 
compounded. 

So  the  matter  became  a  joke  to  every  one  but 
me  and  the  old  cook,  who  received  a  severe  repri 
mand  for  her  carelessness  in  putting  the  liniment 
in  an  improper  receptacle,  and  then  leaving  it  in  an 
improper  place. 


88  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

Thus  ended  my  attempt  at  culinary  distinction  ; 
a  regard  for  the  well-being  of  my  friends  and  even 
for  their  lives,  inducing  me  to  quit  the  field  with 
out  further  trial  of  my  powers. 

What  a  long  tale  about  a  foolish  mistake,  it  may 
be  said ;  but,  as  "  great  events  from  little  causes 
spring,"  the  results  of  that  mistake  were  vast  and 
far-reaching,  and  we  had  not  yet  heard  the  last  of 
the  "food  for  the  gods." 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE    "MORNING    BUGLE. 


CHAPTER  V. 


"  LOOK  at  this  disconsolate  pair  ;  melancholy 
has  evidently  marked  them  for  her  own,"  said 
Bessie  Sanford,  as  she  and  I  crossed  the  corner  of 
the  square,  bound  for  an  afternoon  walk  ;  aimless, 
except  in  the  search  for  fresh  air  and  exercise. 

The  "disconsolate  pair"  were  my  little  sisters, 
Allie  and  Daisy,  who  now  approached,  trundling 
their  dolls'  perambulators  in  front  of  them,  and 
followed  by  mammy,  who  came  limping  after,  also 
wearing  a  most  lugubrious  expression  ;  but 
whereas  their  distress  was  plainly  mental,  her's 
was  physical,  drawn  forth  by  pain. 

"  Old  mammy  has  an  attack  of  her  pet  bunion," 
I  said,  "and  I  suppose  that  the  children  are,  in 
consequence,  debarred  from  their  walk,  and  they 
have  but  just  come  out.  Poor  little  things ! 
What  do  you  say,  Bessie,  to  taking  them  with  us  ? 
They  would  be  enchanted." 

"  So  should  I.  By  all  means  let  us  take  them," 
answered  Bessie,  who  had  a  love  for  children  and 
their  company,  only  second  to  my  own. 

"O,  sister  Amy!"  cried  both  the  little   ones, 

91 


92  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

dropping  the  perambulators,  and  rushing  up  to 
us  as  soon  as  their  eyes  fell  upon  us,  "  Mammy's 
bunion  hurts  so,  she  can't  take  us  to  walk,  and  it's 
such  a  lovely  day,  and  we  want  to  go  Jim's  peanut- 
stand." 

And  the  ever  ready  tears  rushed  to  the  eyes  of 
Allie,  who  was  prone  to  weep  upon  slight  provo 
cation  ;  and  even  Daisy,  who  was  more  philosophi 
cal,  though  younger,  looked  heart-broken. 

Sunshine  speedily  succeeded  the  showers,  how 
ever,  for  my  proposal  that  they  should  accompany 
us  was  received  with  rapture ;  and,  taking  their 
dolls  into  their  arms,  they  abandoned  the  peram 
bulators  to  the  care  of  mammy,  who  hobbled 
towards  home  with  them.  This  bunion  was 
mammy's  choice  grievance,  and  she  doubtless 
suffered  much  from  it ;  but  it  was  an  article  of  the 
family  faith,  that,  when  for  any  reason  she  was 
disinclined  to  take  her  walks  abroad  with  the 
children,  the  bunion  sympathized  with  this  reluc 
tance,  and  crippled  her  to  an  unusual  extent. 

"And  where  do  you  want  to  go?"  I  asked  of 
the  beaming  pair,  who  were  now  hanging,  the  one 
on  Bessie's  arm,  the  other  on  mine.  "  Bessie  and 
I  do  not  much  care  which  way  we  go." 

"Oh,"  said  Daisy,  ecstatically,  "if  you  would 
only  take  us  to  Jim's  peanut-stand  !  Mother  said 
we  might  go,  and  then  mammy  couldn't  take  us." 

"  It's  not  fash'nable,  but  it's  very  respectable, 
Amy,"  said  Allie,  impressively. 


THE   "MORNING  BUGLE."  03 

"  But  we  cannot  go  to  a  peanut-stand,  even 
though  it  belongs  to  Jim,"  I  expostulated. 

"But  it's  not  in  the  street;  it's  —  you  know 
Johnny,  the  flower-man,  sister  ?  "  said  Allie. 

"  Johnny  the  flower-man  "  was  a  German  florist 
on  a  small  scale,  who  had  a  little  glass-enclosed 
stand  on  the  corner  of  the  avenue  next  to  that  on 
which  we  lived,  and  who  was  extensively  patron 
ized  by  our  family  and  many  of  our  neighbors. 
His  box  of  a  place,  cosey,  warm,  and  fragrant,  was 
a  favorite  resort  of  our  children  ;  and  much  of  their 
pocket-money  went  to  the  purchase  of  the  potted 
plants  and  cut  flowers  which  he  sold  to  them  at  a 
wonderfully  reasonable  rate.  But  what  had  the 
little  German  to  do  with  Jim  and  his  peanut-stand  ? 
Allie  soon  enlightened  us. 

"Jim  was  going  to  have  the  stand  on  that  cor 
ner,"  she  said,  "  and  he  had  leave  to  clo  it ;  but 
mamma  and  aunt  Emily  said  it  would  not  do  for 
Tony  and  Matty  to  sit  out  of  doors  in  the  cold 
weather;  it  would  kill  Matty,  they  said.  And 
Jim  was  so  disappointed,  and  he  didn't  know  what 
to  do  ;  and  one  day  when  sister  Milly  sent  him  to 
Johnny's,  he  told  him  about  it,  and  about  Tony 
and  Matty  ;  and  that  lovely  old  Johnny,  —  Daisy 
and  I  ask  God  to  bless  him  every  night  when 
we've  done  our  own  people,  —  he  told  Jim  he  could 
have  a  little  corner  of  his  store  where  it  was  all 
glass,  and  the  stand  could  be  seen  from  the  street ; 
and  then  Matty  could  sit  there,  and  people  would 


94  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

come  in  and  buy  her  peanuts.  Wasn't  it  good  in 
him  ?  We  love  Johnny,  if  he  does  squint,  and 
smell  of  tobacco,  and  can't  talk  very  plain." 

"And  then,"  said  Daisy,  taking  up  the  tale  in 
her  turn,  as  Allie  paused  for  breath,  "and  then 
there  wasn't  room  there  for  the  roaster,  'cause  it's 
pretty  squeezed  up  in  Matty's  corner,  and  in 
Johnny's  store,  too,  wif  the  stand  there ;  so 
Johnny's  wife,  who  lives  just  a  little  bit  of  a  way 
off,  lets  Tony  have  the  roaster  up  in  her  room, 
and  roast  the  peanuts,  and  then  he  runs  very 
quick  wif  'em  over  to  Matty,  or,  if  it's  a  nice, 
pleasant  day,  he  has  it  put  outside  the  door.  But 
the  smell  of  the  peanuts  gets  mixed  up  wif  the 
smell  of  the  flowers,  and  that  isn't  so  very  nice." 

"But  Jim  is  making  lots  of  money,  he  says," 
continued  Allie  ;  "  'cause  most  always  when  people 
come  in  to  buy  flowers,  Johnny  tells  'em  they'd 
better  buy  peanuts,  too ;  and  Jim  printed  a  sign 
in  German  about  peanuts  inside,  and  put  the 
meaning  in  English  beneath,  and  he  says  he 
thinks  he  is  doing  a  better  business  than  if  Matty 
sat  outside.  Norman  and  Douglas  buy  lots,  but," 
with  a  little  sigh,  "mother  don't  like  Daisy  and 
me  to  eat  peanuts.  It  would  be  a  good  way  to  do 
charity  if  she  would  let  us  ;  but  sometimes  we  buy 
some,  and  give  them  to  the  servants." 

Jim  and  his  "peanut  undertakin',"  as  Captain 
Yorke  had  called  it,  had,  in  the  press  of  other 
and  greater  interests,  almost  passed  from  my  mind, 


THE   "MORNING   BUGLE."  95 

and  I  had  made  no  inquiries  about  it  lately  ;  but, 
as  visions  of  numerous  peanut-shells  in  the  most 
unheard  of  places  returned  to  my  recollection, 
I  could  not  doubt  the  truth  of  Allie's  assertion  in 
regard  to  my  brothers. 

While  the  children  had  been  talking,  we  had 
been  gradually  walking  on  towards  the  desired 
haven,  —  the  corner  where  the  German  florist  had 
his  tiny  store ;  and  presently  we  came  to  it. 
The  little  glass  enclosure  was  one  mass  of  vivid 
green,  and  brilliant,  glowing  color ;  for  Johnny 
was  remarkably  successful  in  the  treatment  of  his 
plants,  and  they  always  wore  a  thrifty,  healthy 
aspect,  delightful  to  behold. 

Without,  just  at  the  side  of  the  door  of  en 
trance,  hung  the  sign  described  by  Allie ;  and 
Daisy  at  once  drew  our  attention  to  it. 

The  "  German  "  legend  ran  thus  :  — 

"  Goot  rost  benuts  ish  incite,  nein  sents  a  quoort. 
Shtep  in  unt  py." 

The  English  translation  followed  :  — 

"  Good  roost  peanuts  is  inside,  nine  cents  a  quart. 
Step  in  and  by." 

Bessie  and  I  were  inwardly  amused,  but  did  not 
let  it  appear  to  the  admiring  children.  Allie, 
however,  had  her  own  misgivings  as  to  the 
absolute  correctness  of  the  sign,  and  said, 
doubtfully,  — 


96  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"I  suppose  the  German  must  be  all  right, 
because  Jim  says  that  is  the  way  Johnny  talks ; 
but  the  English  is  not  spelled  quite  right,  is  it, 
sister  Amy  ? " 

"Not  altogether,"  I  answered;  "but  perhaps 
it  attracts  more  attention  than  it  would  do  if  it 
were  quite  correct,  Allie,  and  that,  you  know,  is 
the  object  of  a  sign  or  notice." 

"  Yees,"  said  Allie,  doubtfully,  lingering  behind 
a  moment  to  scan  the  sign  as  I  opened  the  door, 
and  still  inclined  to  criticise ;  "  ye-es,  but  somebody 
might  laugh  if  it  is  not  spelled  quite  right." 

"  That  is  of  no  consequence  so  long  as  it  does 
not  hurt  business,"  I  said,  shamelessly  indifferent 
to  the  orthographical  merits  of  the  case.  "  Come 
in,  Allie,  we  must  not  keep  the  door  open  too  long." 

At  the  farthest  end  of  the  crowded  little  cubby 
hole,  —  all  the  more  crowded,  of  course,  for  the  ac 
commodation  which  the  good-hearted  German  had 
afforded  to  Jim's  beneficiaries,  —  sat  the  little 
deformed  Matty,  behind  her  stand,  on  which 
were  displayed  a  tempting  pile  of  freshly  roasted 
peanuts,  and  various  bright,  new  measures.  Out 
side,  on  the  street,  could  be  seen  Tony,  grinding 
away  at  his  revolving  roaster ;  for  the  day  was  so 
exceptionally  lovely,  that  there  could  be  nothing 
in  the  air  to  injure  him,  and  he  doubtless  pre 
ferred  its  freshness,  and  the  brilliant  sunshine,  to 
the  presumably  dark  and  stuffy  quarters  of  Mrs. 
Johnny. 


THE  "MORNING  BUGLE."  97 

Poor,  poor  Matty !  Deformed,  shrunken,  and 
wizened,  she  was  a  painful  contrast  to  all  the 
beauty  and  brightness  surrounding  her  in  the  little 
conservatory.  Beyond  the  sympathy  unavoidably 
drawn  forth  by  her  helpless  and  crippled  condi 
tion,  there  was  absolutely  nothing  to  attract  one 
toward  her.  She  looked  peevish  and  fretful,  too, 
so  far  as  there  was  any  expression  in  the  dull, 
heavy  face.  Was  it  to  be  wondered  at  ?  There 
had  been  but  little  of  brightness  in  her  young  life; 
and  as  I  looked  from  her  to  my  little  sisters,  our 
petted  household  darlings,  carefully  guarded  and 
shielded,  so  full  of  life  and  joyousness,  so  free  from 
all  pain  or  care,  my  heart  swelled  with  thankful 
ness,  that  to  them  had  been  allotted  no  such  fate, 
and  with  the  desire  to  brighten  the  lot  of  this 
little  unfortunate. 

It  was  not  so  with  her  brother  Tony :  he  was 
the  jolliest,  most  active  little  cripple  that  ever 
hobbled  round  on  one  leg  and  a  crutch.  The 
celerity  of  his  movements  was  something  surpris 
ing  ;  his  voice  was  merry  and  cheery ;  and  his 
ugly  young  face,  despite  the  many  hardships  of 
his  lot,  generally  wore  a  smile. 

Now  and  then  he  would  be  seen  with  his  face 
pressed  against  the  glass,  with  a  nod  of  good- 
fellowship  to  his  sister  or  Johnny,  or  staring  at 
such  customers  as  happened  to  be  within  ;  and, 
if  these  proved  to  be  Matty's  patrons,  he  would 
watch  the  progress  of  the  sale  with  great  interest. 


98  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

Then  he  would  turn  to  his  roaster,  and  work  it 
violently  for  a  few  moments,  then  be  off  to  the 
curbstone  or  crossing,  exchanging  some,  probably 
not  very  choice,  joke  with  some  other  street- 
gamin,  or  the  conductor  or  driver  of  a  passing 
street-car. 

The  children,  Allie  and  Daisy,  made  their  in 
vestments  while  I  was  taking  these  observations, 
and  Bessie  was  purchasing  cut-flowers  from  the 
old  German.  She  was  a  good  German  scholar, 
and  delighted  the  heart  of  the  old  man  with  the 
familiar  language  of  the  fatherland,  which  flowed 
glibly  from  her  tongue.  The  consequence  was, 
that  that  politic  young  woman  left  the  florist's 
with  three  times  the  amount  of  flowers  that  I  had, 
although  I  had  spent  just  twice  as  much  money. 
But,  then,  I  could  not  speak  German. 

"  I  am  going  to  take  my  flowers  to  cousin 
Serena,"  I  said,  after  we  had  left  the  florist's,  and 
exchanged  a  word  or  two  with  jolly  little  Tony  as 
we  passed.  "  Will  you  come  and  see  her,  Bessie  ?  " 

Bessie  assented,  and  the  two  little  ones  were 
only  too  glad  to  accompany  us.  A  visit  to  cousin 
Serena  was  always  a  treat  to  them. 

"  And  we  will  give  her  the  peanuts  we  bought ; 
she  likes  peanuts,"  said  Daisy,  who,  as  well  as 
Allie,  had  maintained  a  silence,  quite  unusual  with 
them,  during  several  minutes. 

"  But  we'd  like  her  and  all  our  people  to  under 
stand,"  said  Allie,  loftily,  "that  we  buy  peanuts 


THE  "MORNING   BUGLE."  99 

because  of  Jim,  and  not  at  all  because  of  Matty. 
She's  the  most  unchristianest  child  we  ever  saw ; 
and  I  think  her  soul  is  hunchback,  too,  just  as 
well  as  herself." 

I  had  seen  that  Matty  had  repelled  the  advances 
of  the  children,  who  had  wished  to  show  her  their 
dolls,  and  to  be  kind  to  her ;  and  I  endeavored  to 
soothe  them,  and  excuse  her,  by  telling  them  how 
much  she  had  to  surfer,  and  how  her  disposition 
might  have  been  spoiled  by  all  that  she  had 
undergone. 

But  my  words  made  no  impression  ;  the  chil 
dren  were  not  to  be  mollified.  Allie  still  wore  an 
air  of  outraged  and  offended  dignity ;  and  Daisy 
not  only  maintained  that  solemn  silence,  but  she 
looked  grieved  and  hurt.  Our  little  ones  were 
not  accustomed  to  be  snubbed,  and  took  it  hard 
when  such  an  experience  did  befall  them;  but 
there  was  a  preternatural  gravity  about  them  now, 
which  excited  my  wonder. 

"Why,  Daisy,"  exclaimed  Bessie,  suddenly, 
"what  is  the  matter  with  your  cheek?  It  is  all 
red  and  scratched.  What  have  you  been  doing  to 
yourself  ? " 

"  She  didn't  do  it  to  herself,"  said  Allie,  indig 
nantly,  and  before  Daisy  could  speak.  "We 
didn't  want  to  tell  tales;  but,  sister  Amy  and 
cousin  Bessie,  I  think  you  are  not  very  noticeable, 
not  to  see  Daisy's  cheek  before  this.  We  are 
very  much  disappointed  in  you." 


100  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

We  apologized  humbly,  saying  that  Daisy's 
broad  felt  hat  had  prevented  us  from  seeing  the 
state  of  her  cheek  before  this,  and  inquired  more 
minutely  into  the  cause  thereof. 

With  some  reluctance  the  children  told,  that, 
while  Bessie  and  I  had  been  making  our  purchases 
of  flowers,  they  had,  after  buying  their  peanuts, 
tried  to  make  themselves  agreeable  to  Matty ;  but 
she  had  proved  far  from  responsive,  and  would 
not  even  look  at  the  beautiful  dolls  which  they 
proffered  for  her  admiration.  Believing  that  shy 
ness  alone  was  the  cause  of  this  ungraciousness, 
and  filled  with  pity  for  her  condition,  Daisy  had 
at  last  raised  Matty's  arm  and  placed  her  doll 
within  it,  when  the  cripple  suddenly  turned  upon 
her,  and  drew  the  nails  of  the  disengaged  hand 
viciously  down  poor  little  Daisy's  soft  cheek,  while, 
with  the  other,  she  threw  the  doll  from  her.  For 
tunately,  the  doll  was  not  hurt ;  but  the  insult  to 
her  cherished  darling  had  grieved  Daisy  more 
deeply  than  did  the  injury  to  herself.  She  had 
heroically  refrained  from  crying  out,  or  making 
any  complaint,  lest  Johnny  should  be  moved  to 
espouse  her  cause,  and  avenge  it  on  Matty ;  but 
it  had  gone  to  her  heart,  and  to  Allie's  as  well, 
that,  after  such  forbearance,  neither  Bessie  nor 
I  should  have  noticed  her  plight.  However,  we 
made  up  for  it  now  by  an  outburst  of  indignation 
and  resentment,  especially  violent  on  my  part ; 
whereupon,  the  sage  Allie  turned  my  own  moral 


THE   "MORNING  BUGLE."  IOI 

lecture,  so  lately  delivered,  upon  myself,  recalling 
my  exhortations  to  the  effect  that  we  should  be 
patient  and  forgiving  with  one  so  sorely  afflicted 
as  Matty  Blair. 

When  we  reached  cousin  Serena's,  a  little  arnica 
and  some  French  bonbons  healed  Daisy's  wounds, 
both  mental  and  physical ;  but  when  happiness 
and  peace  were  once  more  restored,  and  she  was 
seated  upon  Miss  Craven's  lap,  with  Allie  beside 
her,  and  the  box  of  chocolates  between  them, 
cousin  Serena  herself  was  discovered  to  be  in 
a  state  of  no  small  flutter  and  excitement. 

"My  dears,"  she  said,  "have  you  seen  the 
*  Morning  Bugle  '  of  to-day  ?  " 

"No,"  I  said,  emphatically.  "Father  would 
not  allow  that  paper  to  come  into  our  house." 

"  Nor  would  my  father,"  said  Bessie. 

"  He  says  it  is  a  scandalous  sheet,"  I  added. 
"He  would  not  have  it  if  there  were  not  another 
newspaper  in  the  city." 

"Nor  would  I  in  my  own  house,"  said  Miss 
Craven;  "but,"  apologetically,  "when  one  is  in 
a  boarding-house,  my  loves,  you  know  one  cannot 
control  other  people." 

"  I  should  think  not,"  said  Bessie.  "  It  would 
be  hard,  indeed,  if  you  were  held  responsible  for 
the  morals,  or  the  literary  tastes,  of  Mrs.  Button's 
other  boarders." 

"But  you  dearest  of  Serenas,"  I  said,  "you 
know  you  need  not  read  the  *  Morning  Bugle ' 


IO2  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

because  some  of  the  other  people  in  the  house 
take  it.  O  Serena,  Serena,"  reproachfully,  "  I 
thought  better  things  of  you  !  That  you  should 
allow  your  mind  and  morals  to  be  poisoned  in  that 
way ! " 

"  My  dear  Amy !  My  dear  children ! "  exclaimed 
the  dear,  matter-of-fact  old  lady,  who  never  knew 
when  she  was  being  teased,  which  made  it  all  the 
more  delightful  to  tease  her.  "  My  dear  loves, 
you  do  not  think  I  read  that  scandalous  sheet ! 
Why,  this  morning  I  should  have  said  that 
nothing  would  induce  me  to  touch  it ;  but  when 
Mrs.  Button  came  up  with  the  paper  in  her  hand, 
and  said,  'Is  not  this  meant  for  your  friends?' 
what  could  I  do  ?  I  had  to  take  it,  and  read  the 
paragraph  ;  and,  my  dears,  here  it  is.  Oh,  I  have 
been  so  unhappy  all  day  about  it !  What  will  your 
father  and  brother  do  ?  Mrs.  Button  let  me  cut 
this  out,  when  she  saw  how  I  felt  about  it." 

I  took  the  scrap  of  paper  which  she  handed  to 
me ;  and  the  blood  rushed  to  my  heart,  as  I  read 
an  item  with  the  following  heading  :  — 

"A   MADISON-SQUARE   SENSATION." 

It  was  a  garbled  and  scurrilous  account  of  the 
late  little  incident  at  our  house,  implying,  indeed 
openly  asserting,  that  there  had  been  a  wholesale 
attempt  at  poisoning.  Names  were  not  given,  not 
even  the  initials  under  which  the  reporters  of  such 
gossip  often  pretend  to  disguise  publicity,  and  in 


THE  "MORNING  BUGLE."  1 03 

a  measure  avoid  responsibility;  but,  to  the  ini 
tiated,  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  the  paragraph 
referred  to  my  unlucky  cookery.  Further  particu 
lars,  it  was  said,  would  be  given  at  a  later  date, 
although  it  was  difficult  to  obtain  information,  as 
the  parties  concerned  had  endeavored  to  hush  up 
the  matter ;  and  "  money  is  a  power  in  this  com 
munity." 

I  turned  faint  and  giddy  as  I  read  ;  while  Bessie, 
who  looked  over  my  shoulder,  burst  into  a  tempest 
of  indignant  exclamation. 

"  Dear  child  !  Don't  turn  so  white,  Amy,  my 
dear;  I  am  so  sorry  I  showed  it  to  you,"  cried 
Miss'  Craven,  aghast  at  my  alarm  and  agitation. 
" It  is  outrageous,  scandalous  ;  but  it  cannot  hurt 
you:  you  see  no  names  are  given.  But  I  shall 
never  forgive  myself,  for  I  told  Mrs.  Dutton  about 
the  '  food  for  the  gods'.  She  was  interested,  you 
know,  when  you  were  here  with  me  learning  to 
make  it,  and  asked  me  how  it  turned  out.  But 
she  is  discretion  itself ;  she  would  not  say  a  word, 
nor  let  any  one  know  —  Oh  !  my  dear  child,  what 
shall  I  do  ?  What  shall  we  all  do  ?  " 

But  the  vivid  imagination  with  which  I  was 
credited  by  my  friends,  and  which  not  unseldom 
did  cause  me  many  a  needless  foreboding,  was  ram 
pant  now  ;  and  visions  arose  before  me  of  disgrace 
to  the  family,  if  those  dreadful  newspaper  people 
did,  as  they  threatened,  "  give  further  particulars," 
and  perhaps  go  to  greater  lengths,  and  even  print 


104  UA^CLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

my  name  in  their  horrible  sheet.  Should  I  ever  be 
«able  to  hold  up  my  head  again  ?  I  sat  in  dumb, 
terrified  astonishment. 

But  here,  Bessie,  with  her  practical  common 
sense,  came  to  the  front,  and  brought  me  back  to 
reason. 

"  So  that  is  the  way  you  meant  to  make  such  a 
success  of  your  'food  for  the  gods,'  is  it,  you 
fraud  ?  "  she  said,  putting  her  hands  on  my  shoul 
ders,  and  playfully  shaking  me,  "  coming  here  and 
practising  with  cousin  Serena,  forsooth  ;  and  the 
rest  of  us  experimenting  with  our  first  efforts. 
O  Amy,  Amy,  I  would  not  have  believed  it  of  you. 
And  the  gods  themselves  turned  against  you. 
Their  mills  did  grind  exceeding  sure  that  time, 
and  not  so  slowly,  either;  vengeance  followed, 
swift  and  sure.  You  deserve  this.  Cheating  play 
never  prospers,  Amy;  and  'honesty  is  the  best 
policy,'  and  all  that." 

Meanwhile,  the  children  were  gazing  from  one 
to  another  of  their  elders,  not  knowing  what  to 
make  of  all  this, — Allie  uncertain  whether  or  no 
she  had  better  call  upon  her  ever  ready  tears, 
Daisy  bewildered,  and  at  a  loss  to  know  upon 
whom  to  bestow  her  sympathy,  cousin  Serena  or 
me ;  for  I  had  not  yet  put  my  miserable  imaginings 
into  words,  and  my  startled  looks  alone  appealed 
to  her ;  while  Miss  Craven  was  in  a  half-frantic 
state  of  excitement ;  and,  as  for  Bessie,  she  had 
at  first  appeared  furiously  angry,  and  now,  with  a 


THE  "MORNING  BUGLE."  1 05 

sudden  change,  was  turning  the  whole  thing  into 
a  laugh.  What  could  it  all  be  about  ?  wondered 
these  innocents. 

"Oh,"  I  gasped  at  last,  "what  shall  we  do? 
What  will  papa  say?  What  will  uncle  Ruth 
erford  say?  What  will  Edward  say?  What 
will"  — 

"  Yes,  my  dear,  what  will  Fred  say  ?  "  Bessie 
completed  my  unfinished  sentence,  as  I  paused, 
overwhelmed.  "  They  will  each  and  every  man  of 
them  settle  this  matter,  to  the  anguish  of  that 
editor,  if  I  know  them,  and  without  one  word  of 
trouble  or  publicity  to  you,  or  any  one  of  the  family. 
You  dear  goose,  you,  to  make  such  a  personal  mat 
ter  of  it.  Why  not,  Jim  ;  why  not  still  more, 
Mary  Jane  ? " 

"I  must  go  home,"  I  said,  feeling  a  burning 
desire  to  find  at  once  my  natural  protectors,  and 
to  place  the  matter  in  their  hands  ;  and  go  I  would 
and  did,  cousin  Serena  accompanying  me,  with 
Bessie  and  the  children.  We  paused  by  the  way, 
to  knock  at  Mrs.  Button's  door,  and  to  ask  her  if 
she  had  called  the  attention  of  any  of  the  other 
boarders  to  that  shameful  paragraph. 

Mrs.  Button,  motherly,  gentle,  refined,  a  lady  in 
birth,  education,  and  manner,  and  with  a  warm 
corner  in  her  heart  for  the  girls,  big  and  little, 
who  ran  in  and  out  on  their  visits  to  Miss  Craven, 
assured  us  that  she  had  not  done  so  ;  and,  in  an 
swer  to  my  anxious  inquiries,  said,  also,  that  she 


IO6  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

had  never  mentioned  the  incident  of  the  "  food  for 
the  gods  "  to  any  one. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  state,  that  my  mankind 
were  incensed  when  they  saw  the  objectionable 
paragraph,  although  they  did  make  light  before 
me  of  my  terrors  and  apprehensions ;  and  it  re 
mained  a  fact,  that  Edward' went  at  once  to  a  friend 
and  brother  lawyer,  to  request  him  to  take  steps 
to  prevent  any  further  annoyance  or  developments 
in  the  matter.  It  so  happened,  said  this  gentle 
man,  that  he  had  a  hold  upon  the  editor  of  the 
"  Morning  Bugle,"  which  that  personage  would  be 
very  sorry  to  have  him  use  to  his  disadvantage ; 
and  he  assured  Edward  that  he  would  settle  the 
affair  in  such  a  way  that  none  of  us  need  fear  any 
future  trouble  or  publicity. 

How  the  thing  had  become  known  so  as  to 
afford  matter  for  newspaper  gossip,  we  could  not 
tell,  and  did  not  much  care  to  know;  probably, 
through  the  talk  of  the  servants,  who  had,  of 
course,  been  acquainted  with  all  the  particulars 
of  the  unfortunate  incident.  Exaggeration,  and  a 
wilful  desire  to  falsify  a  trifle  to  the  discredit  of 
those  concerned,,  had  done  the  rest ;  but  our  lawyer 
friend's  remedy  proved  effectual,  and  the  "  Morn 
ing  Bugle  "  was  silenced. 


CHAPTER    VI. 


UNCLE    RUTHERFORD'S    PRIZE. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  PRIZE. 

UNCLE  RUTHERFORD,  the  most  generous,  the 
most  benevolent,  of  men,  had,  nevertheless,  the 
most  exasperating  way  of  carrying  out  his  kind 
nesses.  He  would  suggest  or  hint  at  something 
delightful,  and  which  just  met  the  views  or  desires 
of  his  hearers,  dwell  upon  it  for  a  time,  then, 
after  leading  one  to  the  very  height  of  expectation, 
would  apparently  put  the  matter  entirely  from  his 
thoughts,  and  for  days,  weeks,  or  months,  nothing 
further  would  be  heard  of  it. 

To  urge  its  fulfilment,  or  to  endeavor  to  discover 
what  his  intentions  might  be,  was  never  productive 
of  any  good  ;  on  the  contrary,  his  intimates  be 
lieved  that  this  still  further  deferred  the  wished- 
for  result.  Even  aunt  Emily,  his  much  beloved 
and  trusted  wife,  had  learned  to  possess  her  soul 
in  patience,  when  he  was  supposed  to  be  revolving 
any  thing  of  this  nature  in  his  mind. 

The  question  of  Jim's  future  had  never  been 
alluded  to  by  him  since  that  clay  last  September, 
when  it  had  been  discussed  at  our  seaside-home  ; 
and  now  it  was  nearly  Christmas,  and  Milly  was 


109 


110  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

on  tenter-hooks  to  know  if  there  was  any  thing 
favorable  in  store  for  her  -proteg/.  She  knew  bet 
ter,  as  I  have  said,  than  to  hurry  matters,  or  to  ask 
any  questions.  That  uncle  Rutherford  had  not 
forgotten  it,  however,  was  evident  from  the  way 
in  which  he  watched,  and  apparently  studied,  the 
boy's  ways  and  character ;  Jim  all  the  while  quite 
unconscious  of  such  scrutiny. 

"  Milly,"  he  said,  on  the  evening  of  the  day 
following  that  of  the  episode  of  the  "  Morning 
Bugle,"  —  "  Milly,  I  see  that  boy  Jim  has  a  temper 
which  needs  some  curbing." 

Now,  "a  temper"  was  uncle  Rutherford's  bete 
noir,  albeit  his  own  was  not  of  the  most  placid 
type,  and  that  it  was  liable  to  be  roused  to  what 
he  called  "just  indignation,"  on  that  which  to 
others  appeared  small  provocation.  The  flash 
was  always  momentary,  but  it  was  severe  while 
it  lasted  ;  and  it  had  ever  been  a  cross  and  a  stum 
bling-block  to  him,  spite  of  the  polite  name  by 
which  he  called  its  manifestations.  It  was  prob 
ably  the  recollection  of  the  trouble  it  had  brought 
to  him,  and  of  the  struggles  which  even  now  it 
cost  him,  an  elderly  man,  which  made  him  so 
intolerant  of  its  existence  in  others,  especially  the 
young.  It  is  not  necessary  for  the  reader  to  quote 
the  oft-repeated  proverb  about  dwellers  in  glass 
houses,  for  uncle  Rutherford  was  perfectly  con 
scious  of  the  exceeding  fragility  of  his  own  panes  ; 
and  his  only  wish  was  to  warn  and  help  those  who 


UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  PRIZE.  Ill 

were  cursed  with  a  fiery,  impetuous  spirit  like  his 
own. 

That  Jim  was  a  victim  to  this,  no  one  could 
deny,  and  Milly  did  not  attempt  to  dispute  it  now ; 
she  merely  assented  meekly,  and  acknowledged 
that  Thomas  and  Bill  were  constantly  rescuing 
him  from  street-fights,  and  other  escapades  of  that 
nature.  And  there  were  times  when,  in  some  of 
his  rages  with  his  fellow-servants,  the  raised  tones 
of  his  furious  voice  had  penetrated  to  the  upper 
regions,  and  called  for  interference  from  the 
higher  powers ;  but  these  occasions  were  becom 
ing  more  and  more  rare.  His  devotion  and  loyalty 
to  Milly  and  the  other  members  of  the  family  who 
had  befriended  him  were  not  infrequently  the 
occasion  of  these  outbursts  ;  for,  at  the  smallest 
real  or  fancied  injury  or  slight  to  any  one  among 
us,  he  was  up  in  arms,  and  his  tongue  and  his  fists 
were  only  too  ready  to  avenge  us.  He  was  very 
impatient,  too,  of  any  allusion  by  others  to  his 
own  origin,  or  to  the  state  of  degradation  from 
which  Milly  had  rescued  him  and  Bill,  although  he 
would  discuss  it  more  or  less  freely  with  her,  and 
with  his  boon  companion  and  chum. 

"What  has  Jim  been  doing  now,  uncle?"  asked 
Milly;  her  hopes  for  the  advancement  of  the  boy 
through  uncle  Rutherford's  means  falling,  as  she 
wondered  if  he  were  noticing  only  to  find  out  the 
flaws  in  a  by  no  means  faultless  character. 

"  Just   that ;    been   in   a   street-fight,    or   what 


112  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

would  have  proved  a  street-fight,  if  I  had  not  come 
upon  the  scene  just  in  time  to  call  him  to  his 
senses,  and  to  order  him  into  the  house  instanter," 
said  our  uncle ;  "  and,  from  what  I  could  learn,  he 
attacked  a  boy  much  larger  than  himself,  on  ve«ry 
small  provocation, — merely,  that  the  boy  disputed 
his  claim  to  the  name  of  Livingstone,  by  which  it 
appears  he  chooses  to  dub  himself." 

"  He  does  not  know  his  own  name,"  said  Milly, 
apologetically. 

"  That  is  no  reason  that  he  should  call  himself 
by  yours,"  rejoined  uncle  Rutherford. 

"  It  is  something  of  the  old  feeling  of  feudal 
times,  or  that  which  used  to  make  our  Southern 
slaves  adopt  the  surnames  of  their,  masters,  I 
think,"  said  Edward.  "Jim  thinks  that  'them  as 
belongs  to  Livingstones  ought  to  be  called 
Livingstone.' ' 

"Captain  Yorke  proposed  to  him  to  take  his," 
said  I,  "but  Jim  declined,  on  the  ground  that 
Yorke  was  not  so  nice  a  name  as  Livingstone  for 
the  'President  of  these  States.'  He  has  it  in  his 
heart,  too,  to  confer  honor  upon  our  family  name 
by  the  reflected  glories  of  the  position  to  which  he 
aspires." 

"  The  boy's  spirit  of  gratitude  and  appreciation, 
at  least,  are  worthy  of  all  credit,"  said  aunt 
Emily. 

"  And,  whatever  he  may  owe  to  Milly  and  the 
family,  he  has  already  repaid  the  debt  with  inter- 


UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  PRIZE.  113 

est,"  said  mother ;  her  thoughts,  doubtless,  recur 
ring  to  Jim's  heroic  rescue  of  the  youngling  of  her 
flock  —  her  baby  Daisy  —  from  a  frightful  death; 
to  say  nothing  of  his  sturdy  fidelity  to  the  welfare 
of  our  household  and  property  under  circumstances 
of  great  temptation  and  fear  during  the  last 
summer. 

"  I  had  thought,"  said  uncle  Rutherford,  slowly, 
and  Milly's  face  lighted  up ;  was  it  coming  at 
last?  "I  had  thought,  if  you  judged  well  of  it," 
turning  to  mother,  "  of  having  him  go  to  the  pub 
lic  grammar-school  for  this  year,  and  there  to  test 
his  capabilities,  not  only  in  the  way  of  learning? 
but  even  more  in  his  power  and  desire  to  control 
this  temper  of  his.  If  he  gives  satisfaction,  and 
proves  himself  worthy  of  it,  let  him  continue  at 
school  until  he  is  fitted  for  it,  when  I  will  give 
him  a  scholarship  which  I  own  in  the  School  of 
Mines.  At  present  it  is  filled,  but  will  fall  vacant 
about  the  time  that  Jim  will  be  ready  to  take  it. 
There  is  another  boy  on  whom  I  have  my  eye, 
who  has  the  same  bent  for  a  calling  that  Jim  has, 
and  whom  I  wish  to  befriend  and  help ;  but  he, 
too,  has  faults  which  I  hope  to  see  him  correct,  — 
faults  in  some  respects  more  serious  than  Jim's, 
— and  the  prize  will  lie  between  these  two.  Who 
ever  proves  himself  most  worthy  and  capable,  the 
most  steady,  reliable,  and  best  master  of  himself, 
shall  take  the  scholarship.  But,  if  Jim  goes  regu 
larly  to  school,  he  will,  of  course,  have  to  resign, 


114  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

in  a  great  measure,  his  duties  as  a  household  ser 
vant.  Are  you  willing  to  have  him  do  this  ?  For 
I  do  not  wish  or  intend  to  inconvenience  you. 
What  is  your  opinion  of  the  whole  matter  ?  " 

"  Ask  Milly,"  said  mother,  "  she  is  the  arbitress 
of  his  fate." 

And  uncle  Rutherford  looked  to  that  young 
damsel. 

"  What  say  you,  Milly  ?  " 

There  was  little  need  of  words.  Milly's  spark 
ling  eyes  and  flushed  cheeks  spoke  for  her.  This 
was  so  much  beyond  any  thing  she  had  hoped  for 
on  behalf  of  the  boy,  that  at  first  it  seemed  to  her 
almost  too  good  to  be  true.  And,  yet,  there  were 
lions  in  the  way.  And,  after  a  moment's  consid 
eration,  she  answered,  somewhat  hesitatingly, — 

"  I  hardly  know  what  to  say,  sir." 

We  all  looked  in  astonishment.  Most  of  the 
family  thought  that  Milly's  hopes  and  ideas  for 
the  future  of  her  proteges  were  rather  quixotic 
and  unreasonable,  aiming  at  taking  them  out  of 
their  proper  sphere.  But  here  her  clear  judgment 
and  good  sense  saw  some  objections  to  uncle 
Rutherford's  plan. 

"You  are  very  kind,  more  than  kind,  uncle," 
she  continued.  "  Such  an  offer  is,  indeed,  a 
*  chance'  for  Jim  such  as  I  had  never  dreamed  of, 
and  there  could  be  no  question  between  this,  and 
his  training  as  a  household  servant ;  but  I  fear  for 
the  effect  of  the  emulation  upon  him.  If  he  is  to 


UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  PRIZE.  11$ 

gain  this  prize  by  outstripping  or  defeating  another, 
the  spirit  of  victory  for  victory's  sake  will  take 
possession  of  "him,  and  he  will  make  every  thing 
give  way  to  it." 

"Then  he  will  not  prove  himself  worthy  of  the 
prize,"  said  uncle  Rutherford,  who  had  a  fancy  for 
inciting  young  people  to  efforts  of  this  nature, 
and  who  was  always  holding  out  some  prize  to  be 
striven  for. 

"I  don't  know,"  said  Milly,  a  little  wistfully; 
"  he  is  so  impulsive,  so  eager,  so  almost  passion 
ate,  in  the  pursuit  of  any  object  on  which  he  has 
set  his  mind,  that  I  am  afraid  too  much  of  the 
spirit  of  rivalry  will  enter  into  his  efforts  to  win 
this." 

"  And,"  put  in  Norman,  "  he  will  be  so  cock-a- 
hoop  if  he  is  set  to  study  for  a  scholarship,  that 
there  will  be  no  bearing  him,  and  "  — 

But  Norman  was  brought  to  an  abrupt  silence, 
by  a  quick  reprimand  from  father;  while  uncle 
Rutherford  took  no  notice  of  the  interruption,  but 
continued  to  urge  upon  Milly  the  acceptance  of 
his  project.  It  undoubtedly  presented  so  many 
advantages  for  Jim,  that  these  finally  outweighed 
her  scruples,  and  she  agreed  thereto  with  earnest 
thanks. 

"  Who  is  .the  other  fellow,  uncle  ?  "  asked  Nor 
man  the  irrepressible,  "any  one  whom  we  know?" 

"  Yorke's  eldest  grandson,"  said  uncle  Ruther 
ford. 


Il6  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"That  sneak  !  "  ejaculated  Norman. 

"  So  that  is  your  opinion  of  him,"  said  uncle, 
turning  towards  Norman.  "Well,  I  have  not 
myself  much  confidence  in  the  boy.  There  is 
something  about  him  which  I  do  not  like  ;  he  is 
not  frank  and  outspoken.  He  is  a  bright  lad, 
however,  ambitious,  and  disposed  to  make  the 
most  of  any  opportunities  which  fall  in  his  way  ; 
and,  for  old  Yorke's  sake,  I  would  like  to  help  him. 
Yorke  pinched  and  saved  and  denied  himself,  to 
give  that  boy's  father  an  education,  and  illy  he  was 
repaid  by  the  graceless  scoundrel,  who  dissipated 
his  father's  hard-earned  savings,  and  half  broke  his 
heart,  and  that  of  his  poor  mother.  The  captain 
is  building  on  this  boy's  future,  now ;  and,  if  he 
does  not  show  himself  fit  for  a  college  course,  he 
may,  at  least,  when  he  has  had  sufficient  schooling, 
be  taught  a  trade,  and  share  the  burden  of  the 
family  support.  We  shall  see  which  will  win  the 
prize,  Jim  or  Theodore." 

Douglas  began  to  laugh  in  his  quiet  way,  but 
Norman  spoke  out  again. 

"  Won't  there  be  jolly  rows,  when  those  two 
come  to  be  pitted  against  one  another,"  he  said. 
"  Either  one  will  do  his  best  to  keep  the  other 
from  winning  it,  even  if  he  don't  care  for  it  him 
self." 

There  was  too  much  reason  to  believe  that 
Norman's  prophecy  would  prove  true.  From  the 
time  that  Theodore  Yorke  had  appeared  at  his 


UNCLE   RUTHERFORD^S  PRIZE.  1 1/ 

grandfather's,  a  pronounced  state  of  antagonism 
had  declared  itself  between  the  two  boys  ;  and  this 
had  continued  up  to  the  time  of  our  leaving  the 
Point.  Jim,  who  was  a  great  favorite  with  the  old 
captain  and  his  wife,  seemed  to  look  upon  Theodore 
as  an  interloper,  and  trespasser  upon  his  preserves  ; 
and  the  latter  at  once  resented  the  familiar  footing 
on  which  he  found  Jim  established  in  his  grand 
father's  house,  although  he  himself  had  never 
been  there  before,  and  had  hitherto  been  a 
stranger  to  all  of  his  father's  family. 

It  had  required  the  exercise  of  the  strictest 
authority  to  maintain  any  thing  like  a  semblance 
of  peace  during  the  remainder  of  our  stay  at  the 
seaside ;  and  there  were  occasional  outbreaks, 
which  tended  to  any  thing  but  comfort  to  Captain 
Yorke's  household.  Our  house  and  grounds  were 
forbidden  to  Theodore  Yorke,  in  consequence  of 
this  feud  ;  but  Jim's  duties  called  him,  at  times,  to 
the  home  of  the  old  sailor,  whence  he  was  accus 
tomed  to  bring  the  daily  supply  of  milk  for  the 
consumption  of  the  family,  and  where  he  had  been 
wont  to  linger  as  long  as  he  dared  when  sent  on 
this  errand.  More  than  once  had  he  returned 
with  a  black  eye,  cut  lip,  or  other  adornment  of  a 
warlike  nature  ;  and  several  milk-pails  had  been 
degraded  from  things  of  usefulness,  by  reason  of 
being  used  as  weapons  of  offence  and  defence. 

And,  although  he  knew  all  this,  here  was  uncle 
Rutherford  actually  setting  up  these  two  already 


Il8  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

belligerent  lads  as  rivals  in  the  race  for  learning 
and  character,  with  such  a  prize  in  the  future  to 
the  winner.  His  object  would  defeat  itself.  Was 
it  to  be  supposed  that  tempers  would  be  controlled, 
that  any  little  tendency  to  take  advantage  of  an 
enemy  would  be  smothered,  under  these  circum 
stances  ? 

"  Dear  uncle,"  said  Milly,  whose  face  had  fallen 
when  she  heard  who  was  to  be  the  rival  candidate, 
"Jim  is  my  charge;  and  you  will  not  think  me 
ungracious,  if  I  say  that  I  cannot  consent  to  let 
him  enter  the  lists  against  Theodore  Yorke.  I 
know  only  too  well  that  it  would  arouse  all  his 
bad  passions.  As  I  said  before,  rivalry  in  any  case 
would  not  be  best  for  him,  but,  against  Theodore, 
it  would  be  simply  ruinous  ;  and  I  would  rather  see 
him  remain  under  Thomas's  tuition,  learning  to  be 
a  thorough  and  efficient  servant,  and  to  control 
his  temper  because  right  is  right,  than  to  have 
him  take  the  first  honors  in  any  college  in  the 
world,  if  these  are  to  be  purchased  by  the  fostering 
of  an  envy  and  jealousy  which  I  am  sure  would  be 
the  result  of  your  plan." 

"  Saint  Millicent  is  right,  as  usual,  when  her 
brands  snatched  from  the  burning  are  concerned," 
said  father,  putting  his  arm  over  her  shoulder. 
"I  quite  agree  with  her,  Rutherford.  We  shall 
always  see  that  both  those  boys,  Jim  and  Bill,  are 
well  provided  for ;  and  neither  of  them  shall  lack 
for  such  an  amount  of  education  as  may  fit  him  to 


UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  PRIZE.  IIQ 

make  his  way  in  some  respectable  calling.  To 
Jim  we  owe  a  debt  which  far  outbalances  the  bene 
fit  he  has  received  at  our  hands."  And  papa's  eye 
turned,  with  lingering  tenderness,  to  the  far  corner 
of  the  room,  where  Allie  and  Daisy,  unconscious 
of  the  weighty  matters  which  were  being  discussed 
among  their  elders,  were  absorbed  in  happy  play 
with  dolls  and  dog.  "When  he  is  old  enough 
.and  steady  enough,  we  will  set  him  up  in  some 
line  of  business  which  he  may  choose  — eh,  Milly  ? 
—  that  is,  if  he  shows  any  aptitude  for  a  mercan 
tile  life  ;  and  he  may  work  his  way  thence  to  the 
Chief  Magistracy,  if  he  find  the  path  which  he 
imagines  lies  open  to  him.  As  for  Bill,  he  runs 
Wall  Street,  you  know  ;  and  his  voice,  and  talent 
for  music,  would  make  his  way  in  the  world. 
There  is  something  that  must  be  cultivated." 

"  Do  you  mean,  Millicent,  that  you  are  actually 
going  to  refuse  my  offer  for  Jim  ? "  said  uncle 
Rutherford,  in  a  tone  of  deep  displeasure  ;  for  he 
did  not  like  to  be  circumvented  when  he  had  set 
his  mind  upon  a  thing,  especially  if  it  chanced  to 
be  one  of  his  philanthropic  schemes.  And  that 
same  quick  temper,  which  he  had  found  his  own 
bane,  showed  itself  now,  in  the  flush  which 
mounted  to  his  brow,  and  the  sudden  flash  which 
shot  from  his  eyes.  "  Then,  my  dear,  all  I  have 
to  say  is"  — 

That  was  all  he  had  to  say ;  and  Milly  escaped 
something  which  would  have  hurt  her  feelings, 


I2O  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

and  which  uncle  Rutherford  himself  would  have 
regretted  when  another  moment  should  have 
passed,  for  aunt  Emily  laid  her  hand  upon  his 
arm,  half-whispering,  as  a  noted  imperial  wife  was 
once  wont  to  do  to  her  impetuous  and  fiery  lord, 
"  Nicholas,  Nicholas ! "  and  with  a  like,  calming 
effect,  for  further  words  were  arrested  on  his  lips. 

There  was  a  little  awkward  silence  for  a 
moment ;  then,  as  if  by  a  sudden  inspiration,  uncle 
Rutherford  said  pleasantly,  — 

"  How  absurd  we  all  are !  What  need  for  either 
boy  to  know  that  he  is  a  rival  to  the  other?  Put 
the  reward  before  each  one,  and  tell  him  that  the 
winning  of  it  depends  upon  himself,  and  then  we 
shall  see." 

So,  then,  was  it  settled,  to  the  satisfaction  of  all ; 
uncle  Rutherford,  it  is  true,  a  little  disappointed 
that  the  stimulus  of  emulation  was  not  to  enter 
into  the  contest ;  and  the  discussion  was  here 
brought  to  a  close  by  the  appearance  of  Bill  with 
a  box  of  flowers  ''for  Miss  Amy." 

But  there  was  a  factor  in  the  case,  upon  which 
we  had  not  counted. 

In  the  privacy  of  their  room  over  the  stable, 
Bill  and  Jim  held  converse  that  night;  and  this 
was  the  substance  of  their  communing,  divested 
of  unnecessary  adornments  of  speech,  with  which 
those  young  gentlemen  were  wont  to  garnish  their 
conversation  when  removed  from  the  restraints 
of  polite  society. 


UNCLE  RUTHERFORD^S  PRIZE.  121 

"There's  a  big  thing  up  for  you,  Jim,"  said  Bill. 
"  You'll  hear  of  it  yourself  soon,  I  guess,  from 
Miss  Milly  or  Mr.  Rutherford;  but  I  got  first 
word  of  it." 

"  What  is  it  ? "  asked  Jim. 

"You're  goin'  to  school;  you  and  Theodore 
Yorke,"  said  Bill. 

"I  ain't  goin'  to  no  school  with  Theodore 
Yorke,"  interrupted  Jim.  "There  ain't  no  school 
would  hold  me  an'  him." 

"Yes,  you  are,  if  you  know  what's  good  for 
yourself,"  said  Bill;  "and  there's  some  kind  of  a 
big  prize  for  whichever  comes  out  best  man." 

"Then  I'll  go,  if  Miss  Milly  lets  me;  an'  beat 
him,  too,  if  it  was  just  for  the  sake  of  beatin'," 
said  Jim,  verifying  the  prophecy  of  his  young 
mistress.  "  But  how  do  you  know  so  much,  an' 
what  do  you  mean,  Bill  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  hear  all  they  was  sayin',  and  I  s'pose 
I  wasn't  meant  to  hear  none  of  it,"  answered  Bill. 
"  It  was  all  the  fam'ly  folks,  'cept  the  children,  was 
talkin'.  Mr.  Brady  sent  me  to  open  the  front 
door  when  the  bell  rang,  and  it  was  some  flowers 
for  Miss  Amy ;  and,  when  I  went  to  the  door  with 
'em,  they  was  all  talkin'  so  busy  they  didn't  hear 
me  knock.  I  couldn't  make  out  just  what  it  all 
was ;  but  you're  to  get  schoolin',  you  and  Theo 
dore,  and  whichever  does  the  best  is  to  get  more 
schoolin',  and  some  prize  at  the  end  when  the 
schoolin's  done ;  but  Miss  Milly,  she  didn't  want 


122  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

you  nor  him  to  know  you  was  fightin'  for  it,  'cause 
she  didn't  think  'twould  be  good  for  yon.  She 
thought  you'd  be  too  set  on  it,  maybe,  just  to  spite 
Theodore.  She  knows  him  and  you,  you  see." 

"  Yes,  she  might  ha'  knowed  I  wouldn't  let  him 
get  the  best  of  me,"  said  Jim,  viciously.  "And 
you  say  I  wasn't  to  be  let  know  I  was  set  on  to 
beat  him." 

"  No,  them  was  Miss  Milly's  orders ;  and  I  take 
it  Mr.  Rutherford  didn't  like  it  too  much,"  an 
swered  Bill.  "  He  wanted  you  to  know,  and  be 
set  on  yer  mettle.  But  Miss  Milly,  she's  boss 
of  us,  you  know,  and  she  got  her  own  way.  So, 
as  I  say,  they  ain't  goin'  to, tell  you  nothin'  about 
Theodore." 

"Then,  maybe  you  oughtn't  to  ha'  told  me," 
said  Jim,  musingly.  "I  don't  believe  you  ought." 

"  I  don't  see  the  harm,"  said  Bill.  "  I  wasn't 
told  not  to  tell ;  they  didn't  know  I  heard." 

"All  the  same,"  said  Jim,  "you  oughtn't  to  ha' 
told,  when  Miss  Milly  didn't  want  me  to  know. 
I  am  glad  I  do  know,  so  as  I  can  set  out  to  beat 
Theodore ;  and,  Bill,  this  is  goin'  to  give  me  a 
first-rate  chance.  You  see  if  I  don't  get  to  be 
President,  now.  An',  when  I  do,  you'll  see  what'll 
be  done  to  Theodore  Yorke." 

"  What  ?  "  asked  Bill. 

"I  don'  know,  I've  got  to  think,"  answered 
Jim  ;  "but  jus'  you  wait  till  I  get  to  be  top  man 
of  these  States.  Won't  Theodore  get  it !  " 


UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  PRIZE.  123 

11  Miss  Milly  didn't  want  you  to  know,  'cause  she 
thought  you'd  be  so  set  against  him,  and  she 
thought  you  was  bad  enough  that  way  a'ready," 
said  Bill. 

"  I  feel  kinder  sneaky  to  know  it  when  she 
didn't  want  me  to,"  said  Jim.  "  I  guess,  after  all, 
I'm  sorry  you  tole  me,  Bill ;  you  hadn't  a  right 
to,  I  guess.  You  come  by  it  yourself  kinder 
listenin'." 

Here  the  question  of  conscience  and  honor  was 
broken  in  upon  by  the  coachman,  who  slept  in  an 
adjoining  room,  and  who  bade  the  boys  cease  their 
chattering,  as  they  disturbed  him. 

Uncle  Rutherford  had  left  to  Milly  the  telling 
of  his  plans  for  Jim's  future ;  and  the  following 
morning  she  called  the  boy  to  her,  and  set  them 
forth  before  him. 

He  was  to  go  to  school  this  winter,  beginning 
as  soon  as  the  Christmas  holidays  were  over. 
With  many  earnest  warnings,  she  pressed  upon 
him  the  necessity  for  self-control,  as  well  as  atten 
tion  to  his  studies;  telling  him  of  the  prize  to  be 
won  if  his  course  should  prove  satisfactory  to 
Mr.  Rutherford,  but  making  no  mention,  of  course, 
of  the  other  candidate.  He  promised  over  and 
over  again,  that  he  would  do  his  very  best  to 
prove  a  credit  to  her,  and  to  make  her  ''awful 
proud  "  of  him  in  the  future,  and  that  she  should 
have  no  cause  for  complaint,  either  with  his 
temper,  or  his  lack  of  diligence. 


124  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD^S  NIECES. 

That  he  was  enchanted  with  the  opportunity 
thus  offered  to  him,  there  could  be  no  doubt,  but 
he  did  not  appear  as  much  surprised  as  Milly 
imagined  that  he  would  be ;  and  there  was  some 
thing  in  his  manner,  which,  at  the  time,  struck 
Milly  as  rather  strange,  —  a  something  repressed, 
as  it  were,  but  excited ;  and,  all  the  while,  there 
was  a  gleam  of  mischief  in  his  eye.  In  the  light 
of  later  developments,  the  cause  of  this  was  made 
plain  ;  but  now  it  was  a  mystery. 

"And  now,  Jim,"  continued  his  young  mistress, 
when  she  had  told  him  of  all  that  lay  within  his 
grasp,  and  had  added  a  gentle  and  persuasive 
modicum  of  moral  suasion,  —  "  now  that  you  are 
going  out  into  the  world  to  make  a  way,  it  may  be 
a  name,  for  yourself,  you  must  choose  what  that 
name  shall  be.  You  remember,"  soothingly,  for 
this  was  a  sore  point  with  the  boy,  —  "you  re 
member  that  we  know  you  only  as  Jim." 

"It's  Livin'stone,  Jim  —  no,  I  mean  James 
Rutherford  Livin'stone,"  said  the  boy,  decidedly. 
"  I'm  goin'  to  put  in  the  Rutherford  on  account  of 
Mr.  Rutherford  bein'  so  good  to  me,  Miss  Milly  ; 
an'  won't  you  an'  him  be  set  up  when  you  see 
Rutherford  Livin'stone  names  onto  a  President 
of  these  States  ?  I  ain't  never  goin'  to  disgrace 
them  names,  that  I  ain't." 

But  Milly,  mindful  of  the  prejudices  of  her 
relatives,  and  of  the  objections  which  she  foresaw 
from  both  sides  of  the  family,  found  it  needful  to 


UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES.  *25 

decline  the  compliment.  In  order  to  avoid  hurting 
the  boy's  pride,  however,  she  went  about  it  most 
diplomatically. 

"Do  you  not  think,  Jim,"  she  said,  "that  it 
would  be  a  good  thing  for  you  to  call  yourself  by 
the  name  of  Washington,  the  first  and  greatest  of 
our  Presidents  ? " 

"Jim  George  Washington,  Miss  Milly  ? "  an 
swered  the  lad.  "  Well,  that  would  sound  nice  ; 
but,  you  see,  I  wanted  to  put  the  compliment  on 
you,  an'  to  show  what  lots  of  gratitude  I've  got  for 
you  an'  your  folks,  Miss  Milly." 

"The  best  compliment  you  could  pay  to  me, and 
to  my  care  for  you,  Jim,  would  be  to  show  yourself 
in  any  way  worthy  of  bearing  the  name  of  that 
great  and  good  man,"  said  Milly,  non-plussed  how 
to  carry  her  point,  and  still  not  to  wound  her 
charge.  "And,"  she  continued,  "that  name  might 
always  prove  a  reminder  to  you  of  the  truth  and 
uprightness,  the  bravery  and  self-control,  which 
distinguished  him." 

"  Miss  Milly,"  Jim  broke  forth,  irrelevantly,  it 
would  seem,  "you  know  Bill  gets  time  for  lots  of 
readin'  an'  studyin'  down  at  the  office.  When  Mr. 
Edward  don't  have  any  thin'  for  him  to  do,  an'  he 
might  be  just  loafin'  round,  he's  doin'  his  'rithme- 
tic,  or  his  jography  or  spellin',  an,'  if  he  wants  a 
bit  of  help,  Mr.  Edward  gives  it  to  him,  if  he  ain't 
too  busy  just  then  ;  so  Bill,  he's  comin'  on  with 
his  learnin'  heaps  faster  than  me ;  he's  gettin' 


126  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

splendid  at  figgers,  an'  he  reads  the  paper,  too, 
on'y  Mr.  Edward,  he  don't  like  him  to  read  the 
murders  an'  the  hangin's,  and  them  very  interest- 
in'  things  ;  but  Bill  read  the  other  day  in  the  paper 
how  a  man  said  George  Washington  had  a  big 

o  o  o 

temper,  an'  could  get  as  mad  —  as  mad  as  any 
thin'.  But  Bill,  he  said  he'd  heard  Mr.  Edward 
an'  some  other  gentleman  talkin'  'bout  how  folks 
was  always  tryin'  now  to  be  upsettin'  of  hist'ry ; 
an'  Bill  says  he  reckons  that  'bout  George  Wash 
ington  was  just  another  upsettin',  an'  him  an'  me 
ain't  goin'  to  believe  it." 

"That's  right,  Jim,  keep  your  faith  in  Washing 
ton,  and  show  that  you  do  so  by  adopting  his 
name,"  said  Milly. 

Do  not  let  it  be  thought  that  Milly  slighted  the 
Father  of  her  country,  by  thus  turning  over  to  him 
the  "compliment"  she  declined  for  herself  and 
her  family ;  for,  in  the  multitude  of  namesakes 
who  have  helped  to  perpetuate  that  illustrious 
memory,  poor  Jim  could  reflect  but  an  infinitesimal 
share  of  credit  or  discredit. 

Jim  pondered.  The  advantages  of  the  world- 
renowned  historic  cognomen  were,  doubtless, 
great.  But  the  "compliment"  to  his  friends! 
could  he  defraud  them  of  that  ? 

Suddenly  his  face  lighted  ;  a  brilliant  idea  had 
struck  him.  He  could  combine  both. 

"  Miss  Milly,"  he  said,  "I'll  tell  you.  Now,  I'll 
be  named  James  Rutherford  Livin'stone  Wash- 


UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  PRIZE.  I2/ 

in'ton,  an'  stick  to  that  till  I  get  inter  President 
polyticks  ;  then  I'll  put  the  Livin'stone  last,  James 
Rutherford  Washin'ton  Livin'stone,  so  folks'll 
be  sure  I  belong  to  you.  Bill  says  folks  can 
change  their  names,  if  they  has  a  mind  to,  when 
they  come  twenty-one.  Bill's  learned  lots  of  law 
down  to  Wall  Street,  Miss  Milly  ;  he's  up  in  it,  I 
can  tell  you." 

"Very  well,  that  will  be  best,"  said  Milly,  con 
tent  to  defer  to  the  doubtful  future  the  risk  of 
having  the  family  names  appear  in  "  President 
polyticks  ;  "  and  so  it  was  arranged,  and  her  charge 
prepared  to  face  the  world  as  James  Washington. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


TWO  PEANUT-VENDERS 


CHAPTER   VII. 

TWO    PEANUT-VENDERS. 

ALLIE  stood  before  the  glorious  wood  fire, 
around  which  we  were  all  gathered  awaiting  the 
summons  to  dinner,  gazing  intently  into  its  glow 
ing  depths,  and  evidently  sunk  in  such  deep  medi 
tation  as  to  be  oblivious,  for  the  moment,  of  her 
surroundings,  and  of  what  she  was  doing ;  for  her 
doll,  a  new  and  much  prized  Christmas-gift  from 
uncle  Rutherford,  and  a  beauty,  hung  disregarded, 
head  downwards,  in  the  hand  which  had  sunk 
unconsciously  by  her  side,  while,  with  the  fore 
finger  of  the  other  pressed  upon  her  rosy  little 
lips,  she  seemed  to  be  pondering  some  weighty 
matter. 

Daisy  lay  stretched  with  her  doll  upon  the  tiger- 
skin,  and  presently,  looking  up,  roused  Allie  from 
her  distraction. 

"  Why,  Allie,"  she  exclaimed,  "  what  you  finking 
about  so  much  ?  Serena  Victoria  is  most  upside 
down.  Just  look  at  her  !  " 

Allie  reversed  her  doll  to  its  proper  position  ; 
and,  as  she  settled  its  costume,  gave  Daisy  her 
answer,  by  putting  into  words  the  thought  which 


132  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

was  vexing  the  minds  of  some  of  her  elders,  but 
addressed  herself  to  me,  as  a  kindred  spirit. 

"  Amy,  do  you  b'lieve  Mrs.  Yorke  will  be  very 
fit-to-be-seen  to  take  out  walking  or  driving  on  the 
avenue,  or  in  the  park  ?  " 

"Why,  Allie,"  I  said,  weakly  evading  the  ques 
tion,  and  also  answering  by  another,  "  do  you  not 
think  your  friend  Mrs.  Yorke  is  always  fit  to  be 
seen  ? " 

Still,  Allie  replied  by  a  fresh  query. 

"  Amy,  have  you  seen  Mrs.  Yorke's  best  bonnet  ? 
her  'sabbath  bonnet/  she  calls  it."  And  she 
turned  upon  me  large  eyes,  full  of  solemn 
meaning. 

Yes,  I  had,  indeed,  seen  Mrs.  Yorke's  "  sabbath 
bonnet ;  "  and  it  was  the  recollection  of  that  appal 
ling  article  of  attire  which  at  the  present  moment 
was  weighing  on  my  own  spirits. 

Here  Daisy  piped  up,  also  giving  voice  to  the 
sentiments  of  her  sisters. 

"Mrs.  Yorke  is  very  nice,"  she  said,  "and  we 
love  her  lots,  but  in  her  Sunday  clothes  she  don't 
seem  like  Mrs.  Yorke." 

It  was  even  so.  Mrs.  Yorke  in  her  every-day 
costume,  and  Mrs.  Yorke  in  gorgeous  Sunday 
array,  were  two  —  and  "  oh  the  difference  to 
me ! " 

"How  do  you  know,"  said  uncle  Rutherford, 
"but  that  Santa  Glaus  himself  may  have  taken 
the  matter  in  hand  ?  Mrs.  Yorke's  Sunday  bon- 


TWO  PEANUT-VENDERS.  133 

net  may  not  have  been  to  his  taste,  and  he  may 
have  provided  her  with  another." 

"  I  hope,  then,"  answered  Allie,  sceptically, 
"  that  he  hasn't  brought  her  a  brown  felt  with  red 
feathers  and  a  terra-cotta  bow." 

"  That  would  not  have  improved  matters  much, 
would  it?"  asked  uncle  Rutherford,  with  a  twin 
kle  in  his  eye.  "  No ;  I  think  his  taste  would 
run  to  black,  perhaps.  What  do  you  say,  aunt 
Emily  ? " 

"  I  should  say  his  fancy  would  lie  in  a  black 
felt,  with  black  velvet  trimmings  and  feathers," 
answered  aunt  Emily.  "  How  would  that  do, 
Allie  ? " 

"Very  well,"  said  Allie,  "if  he  brought  her  a 
black  dress,  too,  'stead  of  a'  old  plaid." 

"  And  a  new  cloak,  too,"  put  in  Daisy.  "  Her's 
isn't  very  pretty ;  I  saw  it  once ;  but  I'd  just  as 
lieve  have  Mrs.  Yorke  anyhow  she  was." 

The  grammar  might  be  childishly  faulty,  but 
the  feeling  of  the  speech  was  without  a  flaw,  and 
from  the  heart  Daisy  would  have  accepted  Mrs. 
Yorke  as  she  was,  and  thought  it  no  shame  or  em 
barrassment  to  escort  her  anywhere ;  but  bonny 
Allie  was  a  lady  of  high  degree,  with  an  eye  for 
appearances  and  the  proprieties,  and  Mrs.  Yorke's 
antiquated  and  incongruous  gala  costume  would 
sorely  have  tried  her  soul,  although  she  would 
doubtless  have  borne  her  company  with  a  good 
grace,  and  with  no  outward  show  of  the  pangs  she 


134  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

might  be  enduring.  How  greatly  she  was  relieved 
now  could  be  judged  by  the  laughing  light  which 
sparkled  in  her  eyes,  the  dimples  which  showed 
themselves  at  the  corners  of  her  mouth,  and  the 
ecstatic  way  in  which  she  hugged  the  long-suffer 
ing  doll. 

"  She'll  be  lovely  and  fit-to-be-seen  now ! "  she 
exclaimed.  "Won't  she,  Daisy?  She'll  look  just 
like  mammy." 

"But,"  said  Daisy,  doubtfully,  unconscious  of 
the  knowing  gaze  which  her  older  little  sister  had 
fixed  upon  uncle  Rutherford's  face,  a  gaze  which 
he  returned  with  interest  —  "  but  did  Santa  Claus 
bring  Mrs.  Yorke  all  those  things,  Allie  ? " 

"  Yes,  he  did  ;  a  Santa  Claus  did;  I'm  perfectly 
sure  he  did,"  said  Allie.  "But  they  didn't  come 
in  her  stocking,  or  grow  on  a  Christmas-tree, 
either,  /know." 

"  I  fink  he  was  real  mean  if  he  brought  her  all 
those,  and  didn't  bring  her  a  muff  and  some  gloves 
and  a'  umbulla,  too,"  said  Daisy. 

Before  the  laugh,  which  followed,  had  subsided, 
Thomas  appeared  at  one  entrance  to  announce 
dinner,  and  mammy  at  the  other  to  carry  off  her 
charges.  Full  of  the  news  they  had  to  impart  to 
her,  of  Santa  Claus's  supposed  benefactions  to 
Mrs.  Yorke,  they  went  more  willingly  than  usual. 

Yes,  Christmas  had  come  and  gone,  —  Christmas 
with  all  its  sacred,  hallowed  associations,  its  pas 
times  and  pleasures,  its  loving  remembrances  and 


TWO  PEANUT-VENDERS.  135 

family  gatherings ;  and  never  had  a  dearer  and 
happier  one  been  passed  beneath  our  roof.  No, 
nor  one  more  productive  of  choice  and  beautiful 
gifts  from  each  one  to  each  ;  and  the  little  ones 
had  outdone  themselves  for  the  blessed  and 
beloved  holiday. 

And  it  was  an  article  of  the  family  creed,  both 
on  the  Livingstone  and  Rutherford  sides,  that  the 
good  things  which  had  been  so  bountifully  show 
ered  upon  our  pathway  in  life  should  be  shared 
with  others,  especially  at  this  season  of  peace  and 
good-will.  So  it  was  no  surprise,  although  it  was 
a  great  relief  to  some  of  us,  to  learn  that  Mrs. 
Yorke  had  been  made  presentable  for  the  visit  to 
the  city,  which  would  involve  some  attentions  on 
our  part  that  might  have  proved  embarrassing 
had  she  appeared  in  her  wonted  holiday  costume. 
Mother  and  aunt  Emily  had  been  the  two  good 
fairies  who  had  wrought  the  transformation 
through  the  medium  of  a  Christmas-box,  which 
had  contained  bountiful  gifts  for  the  whole  Yorke 
family. 

And  now  Captain  and  Mrs.  Yorke  were  to  come 
to  the  city  on  the  very  next  day,  accompanied  by 
the  —  to  Jim,  at  least — objectionable  Theodore. 
Mrs.  Yorke,  whose  crippled  condition  sadly  inter 
fered  with  her  comfort  and  usefulness  in  life,  was 
to  be  placed  immediately  under  the  care  of  our 
own  family  physician,  who  had  become  interested 
in  her  case  during  a  visit  paid  to  us  at  the  sea- 


136  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

shore  during  the  previous  summer ;  and  aunt 
Emily  had  secured  a  comfortable  abiding-place  for 
her,  not  very  far  from  our  own  home,  where  the 
children,  whom  she  adored,  and  mammy  could 
often  run  in  to  see  her,  and  where  the  elder  mem 
bers  of  the  family  could  now  and  then  pay  her 
a  visit.  The  captain  was  to  remain  with  her,  or 
not,  as  his  inclination  might  prompt ;  but  uncle 
Rutherford  thought,  that,  the  novelty  of  city  sights 
and  sounds  once  exhausted,  the  old  man  would 
prefer  to  return  to  his  accustomed  haunts  by  the 
sea.  Theodore  was  to  board  with  his  grandpar 
ents,  and  to  begin  school  with  the  New  Year ;  at 
the  same  time,  and  —  alas!  for  the  inexpediency 
of  uncle  Rutherford's  arrangements  —  in  the  same 
school,  with  Jim. 

Such  were  the  plans  which  had  been  made  for 
the  Yorkes,  and  the  junior  portion  of  our  house 
hold  were  in  a  state  of  eager  expectation  over  their 
approaching  arrival ;  the  desire  to  witness  the  old 
seaman's  first  impressions  of  a  city  life,  and  his 
own  conduct  therein,  being  strong  within  us. 

"  We'll  give  him  a  good  time,  and  get  lots  of 
fun  out  of  it  for  ourselves,"  said  Norman  and 
Douglas,  who  proposed  to  be  his  pioneers. 

As  for  Bill  and  Jim,  there  was  no  telling  what 
manner  of  projects  they  might  have  formed  for  his 
edification,  and  their  own  amusement  and  his  ; 
and  father  considered  it  necessary  to  bid  Milly 
give  them  a  word  of  warning  not  to  practise  on 


TWO  PEANUT-VENDERS.  137 

the  credulity  of  the  old  sailor,  as  they  had  at  times 
been  wont  to  do  while  we  were  at  the  seashore. 

"And  what  about  the  mercantile  enterprise  of 
that  youth,  with  so  many  irons  in  the  fire  ? "  asked 
uncle  Rutherford,  when  dinner  was  over,  and  the 
door  closed  behind  the  retreating  servants,  while 
we  still  lingered  around  the  table ;  the  little  girls 
having  been  allowed  to  come  down  to  dessert. 
"  How  does  the  peanut-business  flourish,  Milly  ? 
You  are  posted,  I  suppose." 

"Not  so  thoroughly  as  Allie  and  Daisy,"  an 
swered  Milly.  '  "I  understand  that  it  is  flourish 
ing  ;  but,  if  you  wish  for  minute  particulars,  you 
must  apply  to  them." 

Allie,  hearing  what  was  passing,  forthwith  dived 
into  the  depths  of  her  small  pocket,  and  produced 
from  thence  a  miniature  account-book,  saying 
triumphantly  as  she  did  so,  — 

"Jim's  sold  the  first  bag  of  peanuts,  and  bought 
another,  and  then  sold  that ;  and  now  he's  bought 
two  at  once,  and  "  —  opening  the  book,  and  poring 
over  it,  —  "and  he's  made  —  see,  uncle  Rutherford, 
here  it  is,"  and  she  pointed  out  a  row  of  crooked, 
childish,  illegible  figures  ;  to  be  understood, 
doubtless,  by  the  initiated,  but  Greek  to  uncle 
Rutherford. 

"  How  does  the  boy  manage  to  keep  account  of 
his  business  ?  "  asked  uncle  Rutherford,  returning 
the  book  to  Allie,  as  wise  as  when  she  handed  it 
to  him,  but  not  confessing  his  ignorance. 


138  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"By  preparing  himself  for  a  dyspeptic  exist 
ence,"  said  Milly.  "He  swallows  his  meals  in 
haste,  Thomas  says,  and  rushes  from  the  table,  and 
around  to  the  Fourth  Avenue  to  receive  Tony's 
report,  and  be  back  in  time  for  his  work.  Nor  is 
he  always  quite  in  time,  I  imagine ;  but  Thomas 
is  indulgent  and  patient,  and  Bill  helps  him.  I 
understand  that  the  little  cripples  are  really 
making  fair  sales,  and  Jim  is  reaping  quite  a 
harvest." 

"Yes,  uncle  Rutherford  knows  that  by  my 
'count-book,"  said  unsuspicious  Allie.  "  Read  it 
aloud,  please,  uncle,  so  they  can  all  hear." 

"Hm  —  hm,  yes,  my  dear;  but  I  do  not  like  to 
read  aloud  after  dinner,"  said  uncle  Rutherford, 
still  forbearing  to  enlighten  her  innocence. 

"  It  isn't  so  much  reading,"  murmured  Allie, 
rather  hurt,  for  she  was  an  over-sensitive  child, 
prone  to  imagine  slights,  and,  as  we  know,  given 
to  ready  tears.  "  I'll  tell  you,  people  ;  "  and  she 
proceeded  to  give  the  amount  made  by  Jim  since 
he  had  established  the  peanut-stand,  with  its 
various  divisions  for  the  separate  objects  of  his 
benevolence  and  ambition.  The  latter  figured 
under  the  head  of  "  For  to  be  President ; "  and  if 
her  accounts,  or,  rather,  Jim's  as  set  down  by  her, 
were  to  be  trusted,  he  had  really  done  very  well  in 
the  stand  business. 

"We  know  two  deforms,"  quoth  Daisy,  solemnly, 
as  Allie  closed ;  "  one  deform  is  very  nice  and 


TWO  PEANUT-VENDERS.  139 

good,  and  the  ofer  is  horrid  and  scratching.  One 
is  Captain  Yorke's,  and  the  ofer  is  Jim's  peanut- 
stand  girl.  But  we  have  to  be  good  to  the  cross 
deform,  'cause  God  made  her  that  way.  Allie  and 
I  are  going  to  try  and  make  her  nice  and  pleasant, 
too." 

"  She  thinks  we're  proud,  and  only  like  to  go  to 
see  her,  and  show  her  our  nice  dolls  and  things, 
to  make  her  feel  sorry,"  said  Allie  ;  "  Tony  said  so. 
And  she  turns  her  hump  at  us,  and  makes  faces 
at  us,  and  wont  think  we  want  to  be  good  to  her. 
She  thinks  we're  proud  at  her,  'cause  she  has  to 
sell  peanuts." 

"  You  go  and  sell  peanuts,  then,  and  show  her 
you're  not  too  proud  to  do  it/'  said  Douglas, 
carelessly,  and  certainly  with  no  thought  that  the 
suggestion  would  ever  be  acted  upon. 

"We  needn't  to  have  been  afraid  about  Mrs. 
Yorke's  fit-to-be-seenedness,"  said  Allie,  hopping 
delightedly  around  on  one  foot,  the  day  after  the 
arrival  of  the  Yorkes,  and  on  her  return  from  her 
first  visit  to  them.  "Why,  she  does  look  so  nice  ; 
just  as  nice  as  mammy  in  her  Sunday  clothes. 
She  looks  almost  lady." 

"Yes,  she  does,  and  it  don't  make  any  dif 'ence, 
if  she  behaves  lady,"  said  Daisy  ;  "  and  I  fink  she 
always  behaves  very  lady.  Mamma,"  with  a  sud 
den  and  startling  change  of  subject,  "if  somebody 
told  you  you  could  do  somefing  to  help  somebody, 
oughtn't  you  to  do  it  ?  " 


I4O  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"  Yes,  my  darling,  if  you  can,"  answered 
mother,  rather  oblivious,  to  tell  the  truth,  of  the 
child's  earnestness  in  putting  the  question ;  for 
she  was  at  the  moment  writing  an  answer  to  a 
note  which  had  been  just  brought  in. 

"  And  it's  very  nice  to  do  the  kind  fing,  and  not 
speak  about  it,  isn't  it  ? "  questioned  Daisy. 

"  Very,  dear,"  answered  mother,  still  only  half 
hearing  the  little  one,  and  far  from  thinking  that 
she  was  supposed  to  be  giving  her  sanction  to  a 
most  unheard  of  proceeding. 

Mrs.  Yorke's  attire  and  general  appearance 
proved  satisfactory  even  to  fastidious  Miss  Allie 
and  myself  ;  indeed,  she  would  have  passed  muster 
among  any  hundred  elderly  women  of  the  respect 
able  middle  class ;  and  there  was  nothing  whatever 
about  her  to  attract  special  attention,  unless  one 
turned  again  for  a  second  look  at  the  kind, 
motherly  old  face.  There  was  a  sort  of  natural 
refinement  about  her,  too,  which  made  her  adapt 
herself  with  some  ease  to  her  unaccustomed  sur 
roundings. 

As  for  the  captain,  he  was  a  hopeless  subject 
for  those  who  had  an  eye  to  fashion  or  the  common 
place.  No  amount  of  attempts  at  smoothing  or 
trimming  him  down,  no  efforts  at  personal  adorn 
ment  in  his  case,  could  make  of  him  any  thing  but 
what  he  was,  here  in  the  great  city,  as  well  as  at 
his  seaside  home,  the  typical  old  sea-faring  man, 
rough,  hearty,  simple,  and  good-natured,  garrulous 


TWO   PEANUT-VENDERS.  14! 

to  excess,  as  we  had  often  proved,  and  not  to  be 
polished,  or  made  what  he  called  "cityfied." 

"'Tain't  no  sort  of  use  whitewashin'  the  old 
hulk."  he  asserted  ;  "an'  I  guess  my  Sunday  clo's, 
as  is  good  enough  for  the  Lord's  meetin'-house  up 
to  the  Pint,  is  got  to  be  good  enough  for  these 
messed-up  city  streets ;  an'  ye  can't  make  no 
bricky-bracky  outer  me." 

To  the  boys  he  was  a  source  of  unmixed  delight, 
both  to  our  own  young  brothers,  and  to  the  two 
servant-lads ;  and  no  care  for  the  eyes  or  com 
ments  of  the  world  troubled  any  one  of  them 
when  he  happened  to  be  under  their  escort.  And 
little  Daisy  was  equally  independent,  or  perhaps 
too  innocent  to  take  any  heed  of  such  matters. 

A  feverish,  influenza  cold  confined  both  Allie 
and  mammy  to  the  house  for  a  day  or  two  soon 
after  the  arrival  of  the  Yorkes  in  the  city,  and 
Daisy  was  consequently  obliged  to  be  confided  to 
the  care  of  others  when  she  took  her  walks. 

She  had  been  out  driving  one  afternoon  with 
mother  and  aunt  Emily ;  and  they,  having  an 
engagement  for  "  a  tea,"  to  which  they  could  not 
take  her,  brought  her  home.  At  the  foot  of  our 
front-steps  stood  Captain  Yorke,  complacently 
basking  in  the  almost  April  sunshine,  and  amusing 
himself  by  gazing  up  and  down  the  street,  and 
across  the  park,  on  which  our  house  fronted.  It 
was  an  exceptionally  beautiful  day  for  the  time  of 
year,  soft,  balmy,  and  springlike. 


142  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"  Ye  won't  git  another  like  it  to-morrer ;  two 
sich  don't  come  together  this  time  o'  year,"  said 
the  captain,  as  mother,  greeting  him,  remarked  on 
the  loveliness  of  the  weather.  "  Ye  kin  look  out  for 
a  gale  to  close  out  the  year  with,  I  reckon. 
There's  mischief  brewin'  over  yonder,"  pointing  to 
where  a  bank  of  clouds  lay  low  upon  the  south 
western  horizon.  "  Ye'd  best  take  yer  fill  of  bein' 
out  doors  to-day." 

"Yes,"  said  Daisy,  pleadingly,  "it's  so  nice  and 
pleasant.  Mamma,  couldn't  some  of  the  servants 
take  me  out  a  little  more  ?  I  don't  want  to  go  in 
yet." 

"  Leave  her  along  of  me,  Mis'  Livin'stone," 
said  the  old  man.  "  Me  an'  her'll  take  care  of 
one  another." 

Daisy  beamed  at  the  proposition ;  and  mother 
had  not  the  heart  to  refuse  her,  or  the  old  sailor. 

"Well,"  she  said,  "you  may  stay  out  a  while 
with  the  captain  ;  but  only  on  condition  that  you 
both  promise  not  to  go  far  from  the  house,  but 
remain  either  on  the  Square,  or  on  this  block. 
You  see,  captain,"  she  continued,  "Daisy  is  too 
little  to  pilot  you  about,  and  you  are  too  much  of 
a  stranger  in  the  city  to  be  a  guide  for  her  beyond 
the  neighborhood  of  home.  If  you  want  to  leave 
her,  or  she  tires,  just  take  her  to  the  door,  and 
ring  the  bell  for  her.  Or  perhaps  you  will  go  in 
yourself,  and  see  Allie  and  mammy.  —  They  can 
not  go  astray  or  get  into  any  trouble  so  near 


TWO  PEANUT-VENDERS.  143 

home,"  she  said  to  aunt  Emily,  when  she  had 
given  her  orders,  and  the  carriage  moved  on, 
leaving  Daisy  and  the  captain  standing  side  by 
side  on  the  pavement,  the  little  one  with  her 
tiny  hand  clasped  in  the  toil-worn  palm  of  the 
veteran. 

"Impossible!"  said  aunt  Emily;  "and  the  cap 
tain  is  as  good  as  any  nurse,  you  know.  I  would 
quite  as  soon  trust  her  with  him  as  with  mammy." 

But  aunt  Emily,  and  mother  too,  had  forgotten 
to  take  into  account  the  captain's  deficiency  of  a 
sense  of  the  fitness  of  things,  —  at  least,  of  matters 
appertaining  to  a  city-life. 

He  and  Daisy  rambled  contentedly  up  and 
down  the  block,  from  one  corner  to  another,  for 
some  time,  she  prattling  away  to  him,  and  enlight 
ening  his  ignorance  so  far  as  she  was  able,  until, 
at  last,  they  unfortunately  touched  upon  Jim's 
affairs. 

"  Let's  go  round  an'  buy  some  peanuts  outer 
Jim's  stand,"  said  the  captain.  "'Tain't  far,  ye 
know." 

"  No,"  answered  obedient  Daisy,  "  not  far  ;  but 
mamma  said  we  mustn't  go  way  from  sight  of  our 
house,  fear  we  would  be  lost,  and  we'd  be  way 
from  sight  of  it  if  we  went  to  Jim's  peanut-stand. 
But,  Captain  Yorke,  Matty  is  cross  wif  Allie  and 
me,  'cause  she  finks  we're  proud  'cause  we  don't 
sell  peanuts ;  and  Douglas  says  I  ought  to  sell 
peanuts,  so  she'll  know  I'm  not  proud.  Do  you 


144  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

fink  we  could  sell  a  few  peanuts  now?     I  know 
where  Jim  keeps  'em." 

"  Wai,  I  reckon  ye  kin  sell  peanuts,  my  pretty, 
if  ye  have  'em  to  sell,"  answered  the  old  man, 
seeing  no  reason  why  Daisy  should  not  have  her 
own  way,  and  perhaps  scenting  a  little  diversion 
for  himself  in  the  project;  "but  if  ye  can't  go 
round  to  t'other  street,  how  are  ye  goin*  to  get 
'em  ? " 

"  Oh,  Jim  keeps  'em  —  his  bags  of  peanuts  —out 
in  a  pantry  under  our  back-stoop,"  said  Daisy  ; 
"and  ev'y  morning  Tony  comes  for  some  to  sell. 
We'll  go  in,  and  ask  some  of  the  servants  to  give 
us  some,  and  then  we'll  sell  'em." 

If  "  some  of  the  servants  "  had  been  found,  this 
unprecedented  plan  would  have  met  with  due  in 
terference  ;  but  it  so  happened,  that  they  were  all 
scattered  at  their  various  avocations  in  different 
parts  of  the  house,  and  none  were  in  the  kitchen 
save  old  Mary  Jane,  to  whom  Daisy  knew  better 
than  to  appeal  on  behalf  of  any  interests  of  Jim's. 
She  was  busy  grinding  coffee;  and  the  noise  of 
the  mill  prevented  her  from  hearing  the  footsteps 
of  the  invaders  of  her  domain,  who  passed  through 
the  basement-hall,  and  out  of  the  back-door,  where, 
although  they  found  no  one  to  help  them,  Daisy, 
to  her  great  delight,  discovered  the  key  of  the 
closet  in  the  lock.  To  open  the  door,  bid  the 
captain  take  down  an  empty  basket,  which  hung 
on  a  hook,  and  to  fill  this  with  peanuts  from  an 


TWO  PEANUT-VENDERS.  145 

open  bag,  was  but  the  work  of  a  few  moments ; 
the  captain's  huge  hands  scooping  up  the  nuts 
in  quantities,  and  soon  accomplishing  the  task. 
Then,  arming  themselves  with  a  tin  cup,  which 
they  also  found  near  at  hand,  by  way  of  a  meas 
ure,  the  two  conspirators  once  more  stole  past  the 
unconscious  Mary  Jane,  and  out  into  the  street, 
the  captain  bearing  the  basket. 

"  Shall  we  sell  'em  on  our  stoop  ? "  asked  Daisy, 
all  this  time  quite  guiltless  of  any  intention  of 
wrong-doing. 

"I  reckon  ye'd  best  go  down  to  the  corner 
there,  where  the  two  streets  comes  together," 
answered  the  captain,  pointing  to  where  a  much- 
frequented  cross-street  intersected  our  avenue. 
"Them's  my  opinions,  for  I  see  lots  more  folks 
walkin'  that  way  than  this." 

Unfortunately,  Daisy  saw  the  force  of  his  rea 
soning;  and  the  two  innocents  had  presently 
established  themselves,  quite  to  their  own  satisfac 
tion,  on  this  public  corner. 

It  was  not  long  before  they  attracted  sufficient 
attention,  for  they  were  two  rather  unusual  look 
ing  figures  to  be  engaged  in  such  an  occupation, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  contrast  between  them ; 
the  weather-beaten,  rugged,  by  no  means  hand 
some  old  sailor  standing  guard,  as  it  were,  over 
the  daintily  dressed  little  child  with  her  beautiful, 
beaming  face,  and  winning  ways. 

Custom  flowed  in  without  delay,  the  captain  not 


146  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

hesitating  to  hail  the  passers-by,  and  to  direct 
their  attention  to  the  tiny  saleswoman  before 
him;  while  she,  with  her  sweet  voice,  pleading, 
"  Please  buy  some  peanuts  to  help  some  poor  chil 
dren  ; "  and  her  attractive  air  and  appearance  was 
irresistible. 

Fortunately  for  the  pecuniary  interests  of  the 
firm,  or,  rather,  of  the  capitalist  whom  they  repre 
sented,  Daisy  knew  from  the  boys  the  price  that 
the  peanuts  should  be ;  and  the  captain,  who,  spite 
of  his  simplicity,  had  a  keen  eye  to  business,  and 
who  was  accustomed  to  peddling  about  "the 
Point "  during  the  summer  season,  constituted 
himself  cash-taker,  and  saw  that  she  received  her 
dues. 

But  public  curiosity  was  naturally  excited  by 
the  unusual  situation,  and  presently  both  Daisy 
and  Captain  Yorke  were  besieged  with  questions, 
which  the  latter  resented  as  implying  a  distrust 
of  his  ability  to  care  for  the  child.  Truly,  it  might 
well  be  doubted.  But  this  was  no  check  upon 
custom,  and  the  stock  in  the  basket  at  Daisy's 
feet  speedily  dwindled  down.  The  bottom  had 
nearly  been  reached,  when  a  policeman  sauntered 
by  on  the  other  side  of  the  street ;  and,  being 
attracted  by  the  gathering  on  the  corner, —for 
those  who  came  to  buy,  in  many  cases  remained 
to  admire,  —  he  crossed  over  to  ascertain  the 
cause.  Great  was  his  astonishment,  and  small 
his  approbation,  when  he  -discovered  the  state  of 


TWO  PEANUT-VENDERS.  147 

things ;  for  he  knew  our  children  by  sight,  and 
could  not  but  be  aware  that  such  doings  as  these 
could  not  be  with  the  approbation  of  Daisy's 
family. 

"Why,  that  is — isn't  that  Mr.  Livingstone's 
little  girl  ?  "  he  asked  of  the  captain. 

The  captain  nodded  ;  he  was  too  busily  engaged 
in  keeping  an  eye  on  the  money  Daisy  received, 
to  do  more. 

"Well,  if  ever  I  saw  a  thing  like  this  !  "  ejacu 
lated  the  guardian  of  the  peace.  "  To  see  a  little 
lady  like  that  —  my  dear,  do  your  pa  and  ma  know 
what  you're  a  doing  ?  " 

"  No,  not  yet,"  answered  Daisy ;  who  looked 
with  cordial  eye  upon  all  policemen,  as  being, 
according  to  her  code,  the  defenders  of  the  right, 
and  avengers  of  the  wrong.  —  "  No,  not  yet ;  I'll 
tell  them  by  and  by,  and  they'll  be  glad,  'cause 
they  like  me  to  do  a  kindness,  and  not  speak  about 
it." 

"  Will  they  ? "  said  the  policeman,  with  a  clearer 
insight  into  the  fitness  of  things,  than  was  pos 
sessed  by  Daisy  or  the  old  sailor.  "  Now,  my  little 
lady,  you've  got  to  go  straight  home ;  I  know 
what  your  pa  and  ma  will  say.  You  come  right 
along  home,  like  a  good  child." 

"  Now,  you  let  her  alone,"  interposed  Captain 
Yorke.  "  'Tain't  no  case  for  the  law,  'sposin'  her 
folks  don't  like  it ;  an'  I'll  wager  they  do." 

"You  old  lunatic,"  said  the  policeman,  "what 


148  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

are  you  encouragin'  of  her  for  ?  Who  ever  saw  a 
little  lady  like  that  sellin'  peanuts  in  the  streets  ! 
I  ain't  goin'  to  allow  it  nohow ;  it's  drawin'  a 
crowd ;  and,  as  to  the  law,  she  nor  you  ain't  any 
right  to  be  sellin'  'em  here  without  a  license.  — 
Come  along  home,  little  Miss." 

But  here  a  new  actor  appeared  upon  the  scene, 
and  prevented  any  further  opposition  on  the  part 
of  the  captain.  This  was  Jim,  who  was  returning 
from  an  errand  ;  and,  seeing  Captain  Yorke's  tall 
figure  standing  by  the  lamp-post  with  an  unmis 
takably  belligerent  expression  in  every  line,  he 
elbowed  his  way  through  the  fast  increasing  crowd, 
and  stood  astonished  and  dismayed  before  Daisy. 

"  Miss  Daisy,  whatever  do  you  mean  by  this  ? 
You  sellin'  peanuts  here  in  the  street !  " 

"  Matty  Blair  does,"  faltered  Daisy,  beginning, 
by  virtue  of  all  these  various  protests,  to  see  that 
perhaps  she  might  have  strayed  from  the  way  in 
which  she  should  go. 

"  Matty  Blair  !  "  ejaculated  Jim,  again.  "  Well, 
Miss  Daisy,  I  guess  Matty  Blair's  one,  an'  you're 
another.  Won't  your  pa  an'  ma,  an'  all  of  'em,  be 
mad,  though  ! " 

"  So  I  was  sayin',"  said  the  policeman,  who  was 
quite  well  acquainted  with  Jim  ;  "  and  now,  young 
ster,  the  best  thing  you  can  do  is  to  take  the  little 
lady  home,  and  tell  her  folks  to  look  out  for  her 
better  than  to  put  her  under  the  care  of  this  old 
know-nothing." 


TWO  PEANUT-VENDERS.  149 

This  entirely  met  Jim's  views ;  and,  snatching 
up  the  almost  empty  basket,  he  seized  the  hand 
of  the  now  frightened  Daisy,  and  hurried  her 
homeward,  leaving  the  policeman  and  the  captain 
exchanging  compliments  until  such  time  as  the 
latter  saw  fit  to  retire  from  the  field,  and  hasten  to 
our  house  to  deliver  up  the  results  of  poor  Daisy's 
sale. 

It  may  be  imagined  what  consternation  reigned 
in  the  Livingstone  household,  when  this  escapade 
of  its  youngest  member  came  to  light  ;  while  the 
grief  and  bewilderment  of  that  little  damsel  her 
self,  who  had,  in  all  good  faith,  believed  that  she 
had  mother's  sanction  for  her  course,  were  pitiable 
to  witness.  As  for  Jim,  not  even  the  gratifying 
pecuniary  results  could  nullify  his  mortification  at 
the  disgrace  which  he  believed  to  have  fallen  upon 
the  family,  especially  his  beloved  Miss  Daisy  ;  and 
he  found  it  hard  to  forgive  the  captain,  who  had 
encouraged  and  abetted  her. 

"Philanthropy  has  certainly  seized  upon  this 
family  to  an  alarming  extent,"  said  Bessie  Sand- 
ford,  when  she  heard  the  story,  "  but  I  wish  that  I 
had  been  there  to  see  pet  Daisy  at  her  post  acting 
peanut-vender." 

How  far  Daisy's  effort  to  prove  to  Matty  that 
she  "was  not  proud  "  affected  that  young  cripple, 
could  not  be  told  ;  but  she  did  not  fail  to  hear  of 
the  thing  from  Jim. 

As  for  Captain  Yorke,  he  received  his  full  share 


150  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

of  reprimand,  and  caution  for  the  future,  from  his 
wife,  who,  all  unaccustomed  as  she,  too,  was  to  city 
ways,  had  far  more  natural  sense  of  what  was 
fitting  and  advisable. 

"  If  I  could  but  go  round  with  him  to  keep  him 
up  to  the  mark,  Mrs.  Livingstone,"  she  said,  when 
apologizing  to  mother  for  the  captain's  share  in 
the  late  escapade  ;  "  but,  bless  you,  dear  lady,  he's 
more  of  a  child  than  little  Daisy  herself,  when 
he's  out  of  his  usual  bearings.  I  think  he's  best 
off  at  home,  with  Jabez  and  Matildy  Jane  to  look 
after  him,  when  I  can't." 

And  she  sighed  heavily,  as  if  the  responsibility 
were  too  much  for  her. 

But  the  captain  could  not  be  brought  to  this 
view  of  the  case.  He  was  enjoying  himself  in 
his  own  way  among  the  city  sights  and  sounds. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


NOT  ON  THE  PROGRAMME. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

NOT    ON    THE    PROGRAMME. 

UNCLE  RUTHERFORD  stood  at  the  far  end  of  the 
great  schoolroom,  awaiting  the  admission  of  his 
two  candidates  for  its  privileges  and  opportunities. 
It  was  the  opening-day  after  the  conclusion  of  the 
Christmas  holidays  ;  and  half  a  dozen  boys,  besides 
Theodore  Yorke  and  Jim,  had  presented  them 
selves  as  new  scholars,  and  they  now  stood  before 
the  principal,  —  Theodore  at  one  end  of  the  line, 
and  Jim  at  the  other. 

"What  is  your  name?"  asked  the  principal  of 
Theodore ;  to  which  the  boy  responded  simply, 
"Theodore  Yorke,"  and  then  answered  in  like 
manner  the  few  more  questions  put  to  him  relative 
to  age  and  so  forth;  and  the  gentleman  passed 
down  the  line  till  he  came  to  Jim. 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  " 

To  uncle  Rutherford's  consternation,  Jim, 
straightening  himself  up,  answered  in  a  loud, 
confident  tone,  "Jim,"  — he  had  meant  to  say 
"James,"  but  the  more  familiar  appellation 
escaped  him,  —  "Jim  Grant  Garfield  Rutherford 
Livingstone  Washington;"  and  then  glanced 

'53 


154  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

down  the  line  as  if  to  say,  "Beat  that  if  you 
can ! " 

A  titter  ran  around  the  room,  speedily  checked 
by  the  stern  eye  of  the  principal,  and  one  or  two 
of  the  new  boys  giggled  outright ;  but  Jim,  with 
head  erect,  and  fearless  eyes  fixed  upon  the  mas 
ter,  was  unmoved,  perhaps  did  not  even  guess 
that  the  merriment  was  caused  by  himself. 

The  principal  found  it  necessary  to  caress  his 
whiskers  a  little,  then  said,  — 

"  Good  names,  my  boy,  every  one  of  them. 
Try  to  prove  worthy  to  bear  them.  Your  age  ? " 

This  and  the  other  needful  preliminaries  being 
settled,  the  new  boys  were  turned  over  to  the 
examiners,  to  have  their  classes  and  position  in 
the  school  defined ;  and  uncle  Rutherford  made 
his  exit,  only  too  thankful  that  the  irrepressible 
Jim  had  not  added  to  his  list  of  high-sounding 
appellations,  "  President  that  is  to  be  of  these 
United  States." 

School  discipline,  of  course,  had,  for  the  time, 
restrained  the  gibes  and  sneers,  the  open  laugh, 
which  would  have  greeted  Jim's  announcement 
of  his  adopted  name  or  names ;  but  the  time  was 
only  deferred.  The  joke  was,  to  the  schoolboy 
mind,  too  good  to  be  lost ;  and  when  the  recess 
came,  and  the  boys  were  for  a  while  at  liberty, 
Jim  became  the  target  for  many  sorry  witticisms, 
and  "Jim  Grant  Garfield  Rutherford  Livingstone 
Washington  "  was  called  from  all  sides  of  the  play- 


NOT  ON   THE   PROGRAMME.  155 

ground  in  almost  as  many  tones  of  mockery  as 
there  were  boys  ;  and  Jim  speedily  found  that  he 
had   taken    too   much  upon  himself   for  his  own 
comfort.      The    "Grant    Garfield"    had   been   an 
after-thought,  and  he  had  been  prompted  thereto 
by  hearing  another  boy  give  his  name  — to  which 
he   was    probably   justly    entitled  — as    "George 
William    Winfield    Scott   Jones."      Jim   was    not 
going  to  be  outdone,  or  to  be  satisfied  with  four 
names,  when  here  was  a  fellow  with  five  ;  hence 
the  "Grant  Garfield"  on  the  spur  of  the  moment. 
Milly  had  feared    that   even   the   "Rutherford 
Livingstone  Washington"  would   excite    derisive 
comment ;  and  when  she  heard  uncle  Rutherford's 
report  of  Jim's  further  adoption  of  great  names, 
she  groaned   in    spirit,  and   awaited  with    sundry 
apprehensions  his  return  from  school,  fearing  that 
his  excitable  temper  might  have  been   provoked 
into  some   manifestation,  which  would    not    only 
affect  his  creditable  entrance  into  the  school,  but 
also  his  standing  with  uncle  Rutherford. 

But  Jim  had  a  check  upon  himself  whereof 
Milly  wot  not  ;  namely,  that  he  knew  of  the  prize 
to  be  secured  in  case  he  gained  the  approbation 
of  uncle  Rutherford,  —a  prize  which,  as  we  know, 
he  was  more  anxious  to  win  for  the  sake  of  defeat 
ing  Theodore  Yorke  than  for  the  attainment  of 
the  scholarship  itself. 

So,  although  he  had  to  put  a  strong  restraint 
upon  himself,  and  was  inwardly  boiling  with  wrath 


156  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

and  indignation,  he  bore  the  gibes  and  sneers  with 
the  utmost  self-command,  and  apparently  unfailing 
good-nature,  till  Theodore  Yorke,  who  had  made 
himself  at  home  among  his  new  surroundings  as 
readily  as  Jim  had  done,  joined  in  the  "chaffing" 
with  a  vim  and  bitterness  which  could  have  their 
source  only  in  a  feeling  of  personal  spite  and 
hatred. 

"Jim  Grant  Garfield  Rutherford  Livingstone 
Washington,"  he  repeated  ;  "and  he  hasn't  a  right 
to  one  of  the  names,  unless  it's  Jim.  He  hasn't 
got  any  name ;  nobody  knows  what  his  name  is, 
or  who  he  is,  or  where  he  came  from.  He  hasn't 
got  any  folks,  either." 

This  was  wounding  poor  Jim  in  the  tenderest 
point,  as  the  amiable  Theodore  well  knew ;  and  it 
was  more  than  his  victim  could  well  stand. 

"  And  I'd  rather  have  no  folks  at  all  than  have 
such  as  yours,"  he  shouted,  almost  beside  himself 
with  rage  at  this  exposure  of  that  which  he  con 
sidered  to  be  his  disgrace.  Then  suddenly  recalled 
to  a  sense  of  his  regard  for  this  boy's  grand 
parents,  Captain  and  Mrs.  Yorke,  and  of  all  the 
kindness  he  had  received  from  them, — for  a  hearty 
gratitude  for  favors  received  was  one  of  the 
strongest  features  of  Jim's  character,  —  he  has 
tened  to  set  matters  in  their  true  light ;  "at  least, 
such  a  father  as  they  tell  yours  was.  If  I  had 
a  gran'father  or  gran'mother  like  yours,  there 
couldn't  be  none  better ;  but  if  I  had  a  father  was 


NOT  ON   THE  PROGRAMME. 

such  a  scallywag  as  yours,  I  say  a  good  sight 
better  have  none.  And  you  ain't  a  bit  like  the 
old  folks,  neither;  you're  another  such  a  one  as 
your  father.  /  wouldn't  own  such  a  one  !  " 

This  tirade  was  interspersed  with  other  ex 
pressions  more  forcible  than  choice,  and  which  are 
better  omitted ;  and,  as  may  be  supposed,  it  did 
not  tend  to  mend  matters.  Recrimination  fol 
lowed  recrimination ;  insults  from  one  to  another 
went  from  bad  to  worse,  Theodore  being  even 
more  of  an  adept  in  such  language  than  Jim,  who 
had  always  been  considered  a  proficient ;  and  one 
of  the  teachers  came  upon  the  playground  just  in 
time  to  see  Jim  deal  a  furious  blow  at  his  oppo 
nent,  who  caught  sight  of  the  master  before  he 
had  returned  it,  which  he  would  otherwise  doubt 
less  have  done ;  and  who  immediately  assumed  an 
air  of  innocent,  injured  virtue,  too  lofty-minded 
and  forgiving  to  return  the  blow. 

As  the  rules  against  fighting  within  school 
bounds  were  particularly  severe,  Jim's  was  a 
heinous  offence.  He  was  sternly  called  to  order 
and  reprimanded  with  severity ;  and  although,  in 
consideration  of  his  being  a  new  boy,  he  was  let 
off  with  this,  he  began  his  school  career  somewhat 
under  a  cloud  ;  while  Theodore  posed  as  a  martyr, 
and  a  boy  with  a  regard  for  school  discipline,  — 
to  his  teachers,  —  but  the  other  boys  knew  better, 
and  with  few  exceptions  espoused  Jim's  cause,  and 
at  once  pronounced  Theodore  the  "sneak"  and 


158  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"bully  "  that  he  was.  But  that  was  small  comfort 
to  Jim,  who,  on  coming  home,  had  to  report,  as  he 
truthfully  did,  that  he  had  failed  to  keep  his  tem 
per  on  this  the  very  first  day  of  his  entrance  into 
the  school. 

Milly  consoled  and  encouraged  him  as  best  she 
might,  bidding  him  to  take  heart  and  to  struggle 
even  harder  for  the  future,  and  being  very  sparing 
of  blame  for  his  share  in  the  quarrel. 

Fate,  as  'short-sighted  and  with  as  dull  an  eye 
to  expediency  as  uncle  Rutherford,  had  decreed 
not  only  that  the  two  boys,  Jim  and  Theodore, 
should  be  in  the  same  school,  but,  their  attain 
ments  being  of  about  the  same  range,  that  they 
should  be  put  into  the  same  class,  an  arrangement 
which  did  not  tend  to  the  maintenance  of  the 
peace  so  much  to  be  desired. 

But,  in  spite  of  his  unlucky  beginning,  Jim 
speedily  became  a  favorite  in  the  school,  both  with 
masters  and  schoolmates.  His  frank,  merry  ways, 
obliging  disposition,  ready  wit,  and  quickness  at 
repartee,  soon  gained  him  a  host  of  friends  on  the 
playground ;  while  his  evident  desire  to  make 
progress  in  his  studies,  —  wherein  he  had  a  stimu 
lus  unsuspected  by  anyone  but  Bill,  — his  sturdy 
truthfulness,  and  general  obedience  to  rules  and 
regulations,  won  him  golden  opinions  from  those  in 
authority.  Ambition,  whether  for  greater  or  lesser 
aims,  was  Jim's  ruling  passion,  and  now  he  had  so 
many  spurs  to  urge  him  on ;  for,  added  to  his  own 


NOT  ON   THE  PROGRAMME.  159 

personal  aspirations  and  the  determination  to 
prove  himself  a  credit  to  his  benefactors,  was  the 
overwhelming  desire  to  outstrip  Theodore,  and 
wrest  from  him  the  prize. 

Milly  noticed,  whenever  he  reported  progress 
to  her,  that  there  was  a  certain  sort  of  repressed 
excitability  about  him,  a  wistful  nervousness  very 
foreign  to  his  assured  independence  and  self-con 
fidence,  and  he  several  times  seemed  as  if  he  were 
going  to  make  some  disclosure  to  her  ;  all  of  which 
made  his  young  mistress  think  that  he  had  some 
thing  on  his  mind  which  he  was  half  inclined  to 
impart  to  her,  although  he  could  not  quite  resolve 
to  do  so.  She  bided  her  time,  however,  being 
sure  that  it  would  come  sooner  or  later,  and  only 
now  and  then  tried  to  open  the  way  by  asking  him 
if  he  had  any  thing  further  to  tell  her. 

But  the  only  result  of  this  would  be  a  shame 
faced  embarrassment  and  a  sheepish  denial, 
followed  by  an  evident  desire  to  cut  short  the 
interview. 

When  Jim  had  been  at  school  about  a  month, 
making,  according  to  the  reports  of  his  teachers, 
who  were  closely  questioned  by  uncle  Rutherford, 
fair  progress  with  his  studies,  and  showing  a  self- 
command  and  control  over  his  temper  which  had 
not  been  expected  from  him  after  the  fiery  out 
burst  of  the  first  day,  an  incident  occurred  which 
would  have  afforded  him  an  opportunity  for  morti 
fying  Theodore,  had  he  not  been  restrained  by  a 


l6o  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

motive  which  was  stronger  than  his  antagonism  to 
his  rival. 

The  .vagaries  and  peculiarities  of  Captain  Yorke, 
with  his  ignorance  and  indifference  to  city  ways 
and  manners,  had  more  than  once  drawn  public 
notice  upon  him  ;  the  episode  of  Daisy  as  a  peanut- 
vender,  with  the  old  sailor  as  her  aider  and  abetter, 
being  but  a  trifling  circumstance  compared  to  some 
others  ;  and  Mrs.  Yorke  was  in  constant  terror 
lest  he  should  in  some  way  make  himself  more 
notorious  than  would  prove  agreeable. 

About  this  time,  a  celebrated  actor  was  perform 
ing  in  the  city  in  the  farce  of  "  Dundreary  Mar 
ried,"  wherein  Lord  Dundreary  having,  as  the 
title  indicates,  taken  to  himself  a  wife,  falls 
beneath  the  tyranny  of  a  domineering  mother-in- 
law,  to  whom  he  submits  till  submission  becomes 
intolerable,  when  he  turns  upon  her,  asserts  him 
self,  and  proclaims  himself  master  in  his  own 
house. 

Our  boys,  Norman  and  Douglas,  having  seen 
the  farce  in  company  with  the  rest  of  the  family, 
and  having  been  greatly  amused  by  it,  conceived 
the  idea  of  treating  the  captain  to  a  sight  of  the 
same ;  and,  having  obtained  father's  permission  to 
do  so,  they  invited  the  old  man  to  an  evening's 
entertainment. 

"  Wa'al,"  he  drawled  with  his  usual  deliberation 
when  considering  any  matter,  "I  don'  care  if  I 
do.  When  I  was  a  youngster,  I  was  brung  up  to 


NOT  ON  THE  PROGRAMME.  1 6 1 

think  play-actin'  was  a  sin,  an'  I'd  about  as  soon 
a  thought  of  shakin'  han's  with  the  evil  one  his- 
self,  as  of  goin'  to  the  theayter  ;  but  either  I've 
gotten  wiser  as  I've  gotten  older,  or  else  maybe 
the  play-actin'  folks  has  gotten  better  behaved  ; 
but  times  is  changed  somehow,  an'  I  seen  some 
play-actin'  in  the  hotel  down  to  the  P'int,  an'  they 
was  real  ladies  an'  gentlemen  did  it,  too.  I  was  a 
peepin'  in  at  the  winders  more'n  once  ;  an'  the 
hotel-keepers,  Mr.  Loydd  an'  Mr.  Field,  if  they 
didn't  come,  one  one  time,  an'  t'other  another,  an' 
bring  me  into  the  hall  an'  near  to  the  doors  where 
I  could  see  fust-rate.  An'  I  didn't  see  no  harm 
onto  it.  The  play-actors  was  very  pretty  behaved, 
an'  I  didn't  see  no  breakin'  of  comman'ments.  I 
never  could  see  what  folks  wanted  to  purtend  they 
was  other  folks  for,  and  sometimes  to  go  a-talkin' 
as  if  they  was  come  out  of  by-gone  days.  But  if 
you're  for  takin'  me  to  the  theayter,  I  reckon  I 
won't  come  to  no  harm  by  it.  Enyhow,  I  know 
ye've  got  to  come  to  city  ways  when  ye're  to  the 
city ;  folks  kinder  look  daggers  at  ye  ef  ye  don't. 
There's  the  landlady  to  the  house  where  me  and 
Mis'  Yorke  puts  up  ;  she's  the  best,  an  allers  doin' 
for  Mis'  Yorke,  an'  come  an'  sit  with  her  an'  talk 
—  my  talk  by  the  hour  she  will,  straight  on,  like 
as  she'd  been  woun'  up ;  an'  she  come  yesterday, 
all  kin'  of  fussy  like,  an'  her  face  red,  an'  she 
says,  says  she,  'Captain  Yorke,'  says  she,  'ef  ye 
wouldn't  mind  me  askin'  a  little  favor  of  ye  ? '  " 


1 62  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

" '  Sartinly  not,  ma'am,'  says  I ;  an'  I  was  reck- 
onin'  she  was  wantin'  to  borrer  money.  But  what 
do  ye  s'pose  it  was,  Norman  ?  She  goes  and  she 
says,  says  she,  kinder  hesitatin'  like  yet,  '  Would 
ye  mind,  capt'in,  a-eatin'  with  yer  fork,  'stead  of 
yer  knife  ?  Miss  Jarvis,  what  sits  next  ye  at  the 
table,  she's  kinder  narvous,  an'  she  says  it  sets 
her  teeth  on  edge,  an'  she  says  she  can't  stan'  it ; 
an'  she's  my  best  payin'  boarder,  bein'  she  has  the 
second-story  front  an'  back ;  an'  it  would  obleege 
me,  ef  ye  don't  min'.' 

"  '  Jes'  as  lief  eat  off  ten  forks,  ma'am,'  says  I, 
'ef  it  suits  ye  an'  Mis'  Jarvis.  I  been  a-noticin' 
she  was  kinder  pernikity  like  an'  fussy,  an'  kinder 
offish  with  me;  but  if  it's  the  difference  of  knives 
or  forks,  the  best  payin'  boarder  ain't  goin'  to  be 
hurt  by  me.'  But,  boys  !  I  didn't  know  by  a  long 
shot  what  I  was  a-promisin'.  I  tell  ye,  the  knife 
would  keep  goin'  up  the  nateral  way  as  it  was 
used  to  ;  an'  yesterday  I  didn't  get  no  kind  of  a 
dinner,  nor  a  breakfast  this  mornin',  thinkin'  of 
that  pesky  fork.  So  to-day  I  was  boun'  I'd  get 
my  dinner ;  so  I  cuts  it  up  an'  spoon-victuals  it, 
for  fear  of  hurtin'  the  feelin's  of  the  best  payin' 
boarder.  City  ways  is  uncommon  troublesome, 
when  ye  ain't  let  eat  the  way  is  most  handy.  But 
I  don't  care  if  I  go  to  the  theayter  with  ye.  I 
never  see  the  inside  of  one  of  them  places." 

"Oh,  a  real  theatre  is  nothing  like  the  dining- 
rooms  of  the  hotels,  where  you  saw  the  amateur 


NOT  ON  THE  PROGRAMME.  163 

theatricals,"  said  the  posted  Norman  ;  "  and  father 
wouldn't  let  us  go  if  it  were  any  harm.  He  said 
we  could  take  you,  captain." 

"  No  ;  an'  I  reckon  the  governor  wouldn't  be 
for  goin'  to  no  place  he  shouldn't  go,"  said  the 
captain  reflectively.  "An'  he  was  along  of  you 
t'other  night,  wasn't  he  ?  " 

Norman  and  Douglas,  anxious  to  overcome  any 
scruples  the  old  man  might  have,  assured  him 
that  uncle  Rutherford  went  quite  often  to  the 
"  theayter,"  and  thus  quieted  any  remaining 
qualms  of  conscience  which  he  might  have ;  for 
Captain  Yorke  pinned  his  faith  on  uncle  Ruther 
ford,  and  all  that  the  governor  did  was  right  in 
his  eyes.  So  the  expedition  to  the  theatre  was 
arranged  to  the  satisfaction  of  my  brothers,  who 
anticipated  much  amusement  in  watching  the 
impression  the  play  would  make  upon  the  unso 
phisticated  old  veteran. 

But  a  shock  was  in  store  for  them  which  they 
had  not  foreseen ;  for  the  amount  of  observation 
which  the  captain  saw  fit  to  draw  upon  the  party 
was  almost  too  much  for  even  their  well-seasoned 
boyish  nerves. 

For  the  sake  of  obtaining  an  uninterrupted  view 
of  the  stage,  the  boys  had  secured  seats  which  the 
event  proved  to  be  too  conspicuous  for  their  com 
fort.  No  sooner  were  they  all  seated  than  the 
captain  began  with  his  comments  and  criticisms, 
his  "them's  my  opinions,"  in  a  manner  and  tone 


1 64  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

which  they  vainly  strove  to  moderate.  Fortunately 
they  were  in  the  main  complimentary  and  approv 
ing  ;  and  the  old  seaman's  quaint  appearance,  his 
evidently  childlike  ignorance  and  inexperience, 
diverted  those  of  the  audience  who  were  within 
hearing,  and  led  them  to  be  indulgent  to  his  rather 
obtrusive  reflections  upon  men  and  things. 

"Wai,"  he  said,  gazing  around  and  above  him, 
up  at  the  lofty  frescoed  ceiling,  the  sparkling 
crystal  chandelier,  the  rich  curtains,  and  other 
adornments  of  the  house,  —  "  wal,  it  does  beat  all ! 
It  goes  ahead  of  any  meetin'-house  I  ever  see ; 
an',  I  say,  'tain't  fair  on  the  Almighty  to  be 
makin'  a  better  place  for  to  be  pleasurin'  in,  than 
what  we  makes  for  him  to  be  praised  in.  Yes, 
sir ;  an'  them's  my  opinions,  an'  I  stands  by  'em. 
What's  them  folks  up  in  them  little  cubby-holes 
fur?"  pointing  to  the  boxes.  "Oh,"  as  Douglas 
explained,  "  they's  high  an'  mighty,  be  they  ?  can't 
set  along  of  the  multitude  ?  Wal,  every  man,  an' 
woman  too,  to  her  own  likin' ;  I'd  as  lief  be  here. 
Seems  kinder  conspicuous  like,  settin'  up  thar,  an' 
whiles  I  ain't  ashamed  to  show  my  face  afore  no 
man,  I  don't  hanker  after  settin'  up  to  be  stared 
at." 

Happily  the  occupants  of  the  boxes  were  beyond 
the  reach  of  his  voice,  or  at  least  of  the  tenor  of 
his  remarks  ;  but  the  boys  were  on  tenterhooks 
lest  their  garrulous  companion  should  give  offence. 
But  from  the  moment  that  the  curtain  went  up, 


NOT  ON  THE  PROGRAMME.  165 

and  the  mimic  scene  presented  itself  to  his  gaze, 
he  sat  spell-bound  and  silent,  perfectly  absorbed 
in  the  vivid  portrayal  of  the  chief  character  in  the 
drama. 

The  great  actor  appeared  first  in  the  role  of  a 
celebrated  man  of  his  own  profession,  an  actor  of 
bygone  days,  whose  name  will  always  be  famous  ; 
and  from  the  moment  that  he  stepped  upon  the 
stage,  it  was  all  reality  to  Captain  Yorke.  There 
was  no  "pretendin'  he  was  other  folks,"  to  him, 
as  it  had  been  when  he  had  witnessed  the  amateur 
theatricals  and  tableaux  at  the  Point ;  and  with 
a  hand  upon  either  knee,  he  leaned  eagerly  for 
ward,  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the  scene  before  him,  and 
absolutely  speechless  in  his  breathless  interest. 
But  when  the  curtain  came  down  after  the  first 
act,  he  broke  forth  again  to  the  edification  and 
delight  of  those  within  hearing.  Ladies  listened 
and  smiled  at  the  simple-hearted  old  man  ;  and 
gentlemen,  who  were  near  enough,  encouraged 
him  to  ramble  on,  evidently  considering  him  a 
novel  species  of  entertainment,  second  only  to 
that  which  was  passing  upon  the  stage.  He  was 
a  character  as  good  as  any  there. 

Norman,  enchanted  with  the  sensation  his 
charge  was  making,  would  put  no  check  upon 
him  ;  but  the  more  shrinking  Douglas  was  not  so 
well  pleased.  Still,  seeing  that  no  offence  was 
given,  but  rather  the  contrary,  he  possessed  his 
soul  in  patience,  devoutly  wishing,  however,  that  it 


1 66  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

was  time  for  the  close  of  the  performance,  which, 
under  these  circumstances,  afforded  him  no  pleas 
ure.  And  as  the  captain's  excitement  grew  with 
each  succeeding  act,  and  the  encouragement  of 
those  about  him,  and  he  grew  more  and  more 
superior  to  considerations  of  time  and  place, 
Douglas  would  fain  have  quitted  his  seat  and  the 
theatre ;  and  was  only  restrained  from  doing  so, 
because  he  thought  it  would  be  mean  to  leave 
Norman  in  the  lurch. 

At  length  came  the  farce  "Dundreary  Mar 
ried  ; "  and  the  captain,  who,  it  afterwards  appeared, 
had  in  former  years  suffered  divers  things  at  the 
hand  of  an  obnoxious  mother-in-law,  grew  more 
excited  than  ever,  and  became  furiously  indig 
nant,  not  only  at  the  all-assuming  lady,  but  also 
at  the  supine  Dundreary,  who  allowed  himself  to 
be  thus  imposed  upon.  He  grumbled  and  mut 
tered,  and  really  seemed  as  if  he  would  make  for 
the  stage,  as  he  said,  "  to  give  the  old  creetur  a 
piece  of  his  mind."  Even  Norman  was  now  un 
easy  lest  he  should  make  more  demonstration  than 
was  meet,  while  Douglas  did  his  best  to  induce 
both  his  companions  to  come  out ;  but  the  captain 
was  immovable,  and  not  to  be  persuaded.  Indeed, 
he  scarcely  seemed  to  heed  Douglas's  arguments, 
so  intent  was  he  on  the  fortunes  of  the  persecuted 
husband.  His  delight  when  that  hero  showed 
symptoms  of  some  spirit  was  unbounded ;  and 
when  at  last  he  roused  himself  altogether  from 


NOT  ON  THE  PROGRAMME.  l6/ 

the  laisser  allcr  which  had  suffered  so  long  and 
patiently,  and  fairly  bade  the  lady  leave  his  house 
and  his  wife  to  his  own  authority  and  protection, 
the  old  man  sprang  to  his  feet,  and,  waving  his 
hat  in  the  air,  exclaimed  in  a  voice  which  rang  in 
stentorian  tones  through  the  house,  — 

"  Pitch  into  her,  my  lad !  Give  it  to  her ! 
That's  right.  Pitch  into  the  mother-in-law  !  " 

The  effect,  as  may  be  imagined,  was  electric. 
There  was  a  moment's  pause,  then  a  laugh  ;  then, 
as  Norman  and  Douglas  fairly  dragged  and  hustled 
the  captain  into  his  seat,  the  inimitable  actor 
bowed  and  waved  his  hand  to  the  old  man,  who 
had,  as  it  were,  paid  such  an  involuntary  tribute 
to  his  powers  ;  and  the  next  moment  a  storm  of 
applause  broke  forth,  in  compliment  to  both,  it 
would  appear,  —  to  the  gratified  actor,  who  had 
thrown  his  spell  over  the  guileless  old  sailor  to 
such  an  extent  as  to  render  him  insensible  to  aught 
else,  and  to  the  innocent  spectator  who  had  been 
thus  impressed  by  his  matchless  impersonations. 
As  the  performance  came  to  a  close,  and  the 
audience  were  leaving  the  house,  the  captain  the 
centre  of  all  eyes  around  him,  an  usher  made  his 
way  to  him,  bearing  a  request  from  the  star  that 
he  would  step  behind  the  scenes  and  shake  hands 
with  him. 

Nothing  loath,  the  captain  readily  consented, 
inviting  the  boys  to  go  with  him  ;  but  this 
Douglas,  much  disturbed  by  the  notoriety  of  the 


1 68  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

evening,  flatly  refused,  while  bold  Norman,  who 
had  no  fear  of  man  before  his  eyes,  agreed  to 
accompany  him.  Indeed,  it  was  not  safe  to  lose 
sight  of  him  ;  there  was  no  knowing  of  what 
vagaries  the  captain  might  be  guilty  if  he  were 
left  entirely  to  his  own  devices.  Norman  felt 
that  he  was  capable  of  any  thing,  and  that  he  must 
keep  a  secure  hold  upon  him.  Moreover,  the  old 
man  was  not  at  all  familiar  with  the  city  streets, 
and  he  must  be  guided  safely  to  his  boarding- 
house. 

When  they  arrived  behind  the  scenes,  the  great 
actor  shook  hands  heartily  with  the  old  seaman, 
thanking  him  for  the  tribute  which  he  had  paid 
him.  But  here  the  captain's  enthusiasm  fell  flat. 
Meeting  the  object  of  his  sympathy  face  to  face, 
and  as  man  to  man,  and  finding  that  the  interest 
ing  scenes  he  had  just  witnessed  were  but  an 
inimitable  mimicry,  was  a  great  disappointment ; 
and  he  seemed  to  feel  wronged  and  defrauded  in 
some  way. 

"  There  warn't  nothin'  real  about  it,"  he  said 
indignantly  and  in  a  hurt  tone  to  the  boys,  as 
they  took  their  way  homeward.  "There  warn't 
nothin'  true  at  all.  There  bean't  no  mother-in- 
law,  nor  wife,  nor  nothin' ;  there  warn't  even  any 
chap  with  the  long  whiskers,  for  it  warn't  hisself 
at  all,  though  he  said  it  was  —  that  t'other  one 
shook  han's  with  me,  and  said  I'd  give  him  a  big 
compliment.  'Twas  all  purtendin'  an'  makin' 


NOT  ON  THE   PROGRAMME.  169 

b'lieve.  It's  a  shame  an'  a  sin  for  to  go  makin' 
out  so  life-like  ye  are  what  ye  ain't,  an'  takin'  folks 
in  so.  It's  kinder  cheatin'  play,  /  think  ;  an'  Mis' 
Yorke,  she  wurn't  jes'  so  easy  in  her  min'  'bout 
me  goin'  to  the  theayter,  an'  I  reckon  I've  come 
to  her  way  of  thinkin' ;  an'  thank  ye  kindly,  boys, 
but  there'll  be  no  more  theayter-goin'  fur  me. 
The  Scriptur  says,  '  A  fool  an'  his  money  is  soon 
parted,'  an'  —  meanin'  no  ungratefulness  to  you, 
boys  —  I've  faith  to  b'lieve  it;  for  it's  not  good 
manners,  neither  good  deeds,  to  make  out  that 
way,  an'  take  folks  in.  An'  them's  my  opinions, 
an'  I'll  stan'  by  'em  !  " 

The  last  thing  the  boys  heard,  as  the  door  of 
his  temporary  home  closed  upon  him,  was,  "  No 
more  theayters  for  me ;  they're  clean  agin' 
Scriptur." 

This,  of  course,  was  great  fun  for  our  frolicsome 
Norman,  always  ready  for  a  joke  or  a  good  story ; 
and  although  Douglas  had  not  taken  unalloyed 
pleasure  in  the  events  of  the  evening,  he,  too, 
could  see  the  droll  side  of  them  now  that  they 
were  over.  They  were  rehearsed  with  great  glee 
at  the  breakfast-table  the  next  morning  ;  and  it 
occurred  to  me  that  here,  if  he  chose  to  use  it,  was 
the  opportunity  for  Jim  to  revenge  himself  for 
some  of  the  sneers  cast  upon  him  by  Theodore 
Yorke.  I  was  wicked  enough,  however,  not  to 
suggest  the  idea  to  any  one  else,  lest  a  word  of 
warning  or  counsel  should  restrain  him ;  and 


I/O  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

in  the  sequel  Jim  proved  himself  far  the  better 
Christian  of  the  two,  in  spite  of  the  superior 
advantages  which  had  always  been  mine. 

This  happened  to  be  Friday,  when  he  brought 
home  from  school  his  weekly  report,  which  he 
always  took  at  once  to  Milly.  The  record  for  this 
week  proved  an  unusually  favorable  one ;  but  he 
had  more  to  add  to  this. 

"Miss  Milly,"  he  said,  after  she  had  expressed 
her  pleasure  at  the  progress  he  was  making  and  at 
his  standing  in  "conduct,"  —  "Miss  Milly,  I  was 
real  forgivin'  an'  like  livin'  up  to  the  mark  you  sot 
us  for  doin'  unto  others,  in  school  to-day.  But  it 
does  come  awful  hard,  when  you  get  the  chance  to 
pay  off  a  feller,  to  let  it  slip ;  an'  I  don't  know  as 
I  could  have  done  it  if  it  hadn't  been  for  thinkin' 
of  the  old  captain  himself,  an'  how  good  he'd  been 
to  me,  an'  that  I  wouldn't  like  to  go  back  on 
kirn." 

Light  flashed  upon  Milly.  The  boy  had  been 
tempted  to  make  use  of  the  occurrences  of  the 
preceding  evening  to  revenge  himself  upon 
Theodore  Yorke  for  his  previous  slights  and 
insults  ;  and  had  refrained,  chiefly  from  loyalty  to 
his  old  friend,  it  is  true,  but,  perhaps,  partly 
prompted  by  the  wish  to  do  right. 

It  had  so  happened,  that  two  boys  in  the  class 
had  been  at  the  theatre  also,  and  had  been  wit 
nesses  of  the  captain's  antics,  but  without  know 
ing  who  he  was,  or  of  his  connection  with  Theo- 


NOT  ON  THE  PROGRAMME.  *7l 

dore.  In  recess  they  told  the  story,  doubtless 
with  more  or  less  of  exaggeration,  of  the  old 
countryman  who  had  made  himself  so  conspicuous 
and —  according  to  their  showing  —  so  ridiculous 
at  last  night's  entertainment. 

Of  course  Jim  at  once  recognized  the  hero  of 
the  tale;  but  not  so  Theodore,  his  grandfather 
having,  for  a  wonder,  preserved  a  discreet  silence 
on  the  subject,  being  totally  unaware  that  he  had 
exhibited  himself  in  an  unusual  way  on  the 
occasion.  Perhaps  the  poor  captain  had  felt  a 
little  mortified  that  he  had  been  so  carried  away 
by  that  which  was,  after  all,  "  on'y  pretendin',"  and 
did  not  care  to  rehearse  his  experience. 

However  that  may  be,  Theodore  had  heard 
nothing  of  it,  and  laughed  and  jeered  with  the 
other  boys  at  the  more  than  graphic  relation  of 
his  two  schoolmates. 

Strong  was  the  temptation  to  Jim  to  expose 
him,  and  to  draw  upon  his  enemy  the  laugh  which 
must  follow;  but,  to  his  credit  be  it  said,  he 
refrained,  except  in  so  far  as  to  give  him  a  know 
ing  look  which  conveyed  to  that  amiable  youth 
the  conviction  that  it  was  no  other  than  his  grand 
father  who  was  furnishing  food  for  merriment  to 
half  the  school,  and  that  Jim  was  aware  of  it  and 
held  this  rod  over  him.  The  knowledge  that  this 
was  so  was  not  calculated  to  soften  Theodore's  ani 
mosity  toward  Jim.  Disposed  as  he  was  to  raise 
a  laugh  or  a  sneer  at  the  expense  of  another,  he 


UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

could  not  endure  them  himself;  and  to  feel  that  he 
was  thus  in  the  power  of  the  boy  whom  he  hated, 
was  intolerable  to  him.  From  this  time,  however, 
it  gave  him  a  wholesome  awe  of  Jim,  and  proved 
a  check  upon  him;  and  "Jim  Grant  Garfield 
Rutherford  Livingstone  Washington"  rang  less 
often  over  the  playground,  now  that  he  ceased  to 
lead  in  the  cry  upon  the  claimant  of  so  many 
names. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
MATTY. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

MATTY. 

"  AMY,  what  are  you  pondering  ?  " 

"  Men  and  things  in  general  and  their  iniquities 
in  particular ;  my  own  not  being  included,  they 
being  nothing  worth  speaking  of,"  I  answered, 
rather  evasively,  not  being  disposed  at  present  to 
make  public  the  nature  of  my  cogitations,  which 
really  had  to  do  with  my  own  shortcomings. 

"  We  will  pass  over  the  modesty  of  the  remark," 
said  Bessie  Sanford,  "  but  we  insist  upon  knowing 
—  do  we  not,  Milly?  —  the  tenor  of  the  medita 
tions  which  have  actually  kept  you  quiet  for  —  let 
me  see  —  I  think  it  must  be  full  two  minutes  by 
the  clock." 

"  That  inquisitive  spirit  of  yours  needs  repres 
sion,  Elizabeth,"  I  said  :  "  therefore  I  shall  not 
yield  to  your  demands," 

"  Then  bid  farewell  to  peace,"  was  the  rejoinder. 
And  knowing  Elizabeth  Sanford  well,  I  meditated 
a  precipitate  flight  ;  but  she  divined  my  intention, 
and,  seizing  upon  me,  held  me  prisoner,  and  made 
good  her  threat  until  I  succumbed,  first  freeing  my 
mind  of  my  opinion  as  to  the  conduct  of  my  captor. 


UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

"  Never  mind.  We  will  leave  the  results  of  that 
case  to  the  future,"  she  said  ;  "the  present  ques 
tion  has  only  to  do  with  yourself,  and  the  unbur 
dening  of  your  secrets.  Your  inward  communings 
are  of  such  rare  occurrence,  that  when  you  do 
indulge  in  them,  your  friends  are  entitled  to  bene 
fit  by  them.  —  Is  it  not  so,  Milly  ?  " 

"  Reap  what  benefit  you  may,  then,"  I  answered. 
"I  was  thinking  how  I  was  going  to  waste." 

"H'm'm,"  said  Bessie,  releasing  her  grasp  upon 
my  shoulders,  and  gazing  with  an  air  of  deep 
meditation  out  of  the  window  near  which  we  sat. 
"Fred  Winston  would  doubtless  feel  compli 
mented  by  that  sage  conclusion  ;  but  if  you  feel  so 
decidedly  that  you  are  throwing  yourself  away,  it 
is  not  yet  too  late  for  you  to  draw  back,  and  "  — 

"  Your  remarks  are  too  frivolous  to  bear  the 
consideration  of  a  well-balanced  mind,  Elizabeth," 
I  interrupted,  "and  therefore  I  decline  to  notice 
them  further  than  to  say  that  you  are  entirely 
'wide  of  the  mark.  Perhaps  I  did  not  express 
myself  in  language  as  choice  as  I  might  have 
used;  but  what  I  meant  to  say  was  —  to  quote 
the  copy-books — that  'opportunities  imply  obli 
gations,'  and  that,  while  my  opportunities  are 
many,  the  obligations  arising  therefrom  have  not 
been  fulfilled." 

I  had  spoken  jokingly,  almost  mockingly, 
nevertheless  I  really  meant  what  I  said ;  but  any 
thing  like  a  sober  reflection  or  solemn  view  of 


MATTY. 

life's  duties  was  so  new  from  me,  that  for  a 
moment  my  sister  and  friend  were  struck  dumb 
with  astonishment. 

Then  Bessie  gave  vent  to  a  smothered  groan. 

"  Listen  to  the  words  of  wisdom  !  "  she  ejacu 
lated.  "The  depth  of  her!  And  whence  and 
since  when,  may  I  inquire,  arises  thus  suddenly 
so  solemn  a  view  of  your  responsibilities  ?  They 
are  not  wont  to  weigh  upon  your  mind." 

"That  is  just  it,"  I  said.  "  I  am  in  earnest,  not 
in  joke,  whatever  you  may  think.  It  has,  rather 
suddenly  I  allow,  dawned  upon  me,  that  I  am  a 
perfectly  useless  member  of  society;  or  rather,  the 
conviction  has  been  forced  upon  me  by  the  words 
of  Allie,  whom  I  overheard  informing  Daisy  that 
I  was  very  nice  and  lovely,  but  the  uselessest 
person  in  the  house.  Loyal  Daisy  was  indignant, 
and  questioned  the  justice  of  the  remark ;  but  it 
opened  up  a  field  of  reflection  to  me,  and  I  am 
obliged  to  admit  its  truth.  Since  I  left  school 
last  spring,  what  have  I  done  but  amuse  myself, 
and  attend  readings  and  lectures,  which  amounts 
to  the  same  thing,  as  the  motive  is  purely  selfish  ? " 

"You  have  made  'food  for  the  gods/"  said 
Bessie  demurely. 

I  turned  upon  her. 

"  For  that  remark  you  shall  have  cause  to  regret 
that  you  ever  were  born,"  I  retorted,  "and  I  would 
not  have  believed  it  of  you,  Bessie.  But  seriously, 
girls,  I  am  longing  for  an  object  in  life  on  which 


178  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

I  can  expend  some  of  the  capabilities  of  which  I 
feel  myself  possessed." 

"  I  thought  you  had  been  supplied  with  one 
since  the  I5th  of  last  November,"  said  Bessie, 
"but"- 

"  Will  you  leave  that  subject  out  of  the 
question?"  I  again  interrupted.  "If  not,  there 
will  be  trouble  between  the  houses  of  Sanford  and 
Livingstone." 

"  Why  can't  you  two  be  what  Daisy  calls 
'common-sensible/  and  tell  what  is  at  the  bottom 
of  all  this  ?  "  said  Milly,  joining  for  the  first  time  in 
the  conversation. 

"  I  am  sure  that  I  am  showing  an  unusual 
amount  of  common-sense,"  I  rejoined,  "for  I  have 
in  all  seriousness  just  awakened  to  a  sense  of  my 
shortcomings  towards  humanity  in  general,  and 
am  longing  for  an  object  on  which  to  expend  my 
superfluous  energies.  You,  Milly,  have  your 
charges,  Bill  and  Jim,  whom  you  have  rescued  from 
lives  of  shame  and  crime,  and  who  are  standing 
monuments  of  the  efficacy  of  your  zeal,  self-sacri 
fice,  and  good  sense  in  their  behalf  (no,  you  need  not 
courtesy) ;  and  Bessie  has  her  old  ladies  to  whom 
she  so  religiously  devotes  one  afternoon  in  every 
week,  no  matter  what  temptations  assail  her  in 
other  directions,  and  who  simply  adore  her,  and 
for  whom  she  does  many  a  little  kind  office  at 
divers  other  times.  But  who,  outside  of  our 
family,  to  whose  happiness  I  add,  of  course, 


MATTY.  1/9 

because  I  am  their  own  Amy;  and  —  and  Fred; 
yes,  and  you,  dear  Bessie,"  as  a  soft  little  remind 
ing  hand  was  laid  upon  my  arm,  —  "  who  except 
these  is  any  the  better  or  happier  for  my 
existence  ? " 

"  Lots  of  friends  and  relations,  you  foolish 
child,"  said  Bessie,  while  Milly  dropped  a  re-assur 
ing  kiss  upon  my  forehead.  "What  nonsense, 
Amy !  I  do  not  know  any  one  who  is  a  more 
general  favorite." 

"  Well,  allowing  that  it  is  so,"  I  said,  "  is  it  not 
only  because  I  am  merry  and  full  of  life,  and  make 
things  a  little  cheerful  around  me  ?  Point  to  one 
thing  useful  or  of  real  lasting  benefit  that  I  have 
ever  done,  and  I  will  thank  you.  I  have  loved 
Aunt  Emily's  hospital  cottage  by  the  sea,  for  her 
sake  and  for  dear  little  Amy's,  and  have  worked 
a  little  for  that ;  but  it  has  been  a  real  pleasure 
and  enjoyment  to  me,  and  has  never  involved  one 
moment's  self-sacrifice." 

Modesty  will  not  allow  me  to  put  down  here  all 
that  Milly  and  Bessie  in  their  partial  affection 
said  to  persuade  me  that  I  was  not  altogether  a 
useless  member  of  society  at  large.  Delightful  as 
it  was  to  hear,  it  did  not  succeed  in  quieting  my 
newly  awakened  conscience  or  sense  of  responsi 
bility  ;  and  perhaps  Milly  on  her  part  did  not 
intend  that  it  should  do  so. 

"  She  evidently  must  be  furnished  with  an 
object"  said  Bessie  ;  "nothing  else  will  satisfy  her ; 


I  SO  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

and  as  she  seems  to  have  something  of  the  feeling 
of  the  monks  and  nuns  of  old,  that  the  more  dis 
agreeable  the  duty  the  greater  the  credit,  let  us 
satisfy  her  by  finding  her  a  most  unpleasant  one. 
Oh,  charming  !  I  have  thought  of  just  the  thing.  — 
Why  not  adopt  as  your  particular  charge,  Amy, 
that  most  unattractive  young  cripple,  Matty  Blair  ? 
She  will  probably  satisfy  all  your  longings  for  self- 
sacrifice,  in  a  way  which  can  leave  nothing  to  be 
desired." 

"The  very  thing,"  I  answered,  delighted  to 
have  found  so  soon  an  " object"  on  which  to 
expend  the  benevolent  yearnings  with  which  I 
had  been  seized,  —  not  so  suddenly  as  Milly  and 
Bessie  believed;  for,  for  some  time  past,  I  had  had 
a  secret  and  rather  unwelcome  consciousness  that 
I  was  not  doing  my  share  toward  mitigating  the 
general  load  of  human  misery  and  ignorance,  — a 
consciousness  which  Allie's  words  had  only  quick 
ened  into  more  active  life.  "  But,  girls,  I  assure 
you  that  I  am  not  at  all  moved  by  the  ascetic 
notion  of  taking  up  the  most  disagreeable  work  I 
can  find,  as  a  penance  for  former  shortcomings. 
I  wish  from  my  heart  that  Matty  Blair  was  pretty 
and  straight  and  sweet,  a  typical  little  story-book 
pauper,  whom  it  would  be  a  pleasure  to  befriend, 
and  who  would  respond  amicably  to  my  advances. 
Matty,  from  what  I  know  of  her,  will  be  far  from 
being  all  that  ;  nevertheless  I  shall  take  her  up, 
and  see  what  can  be  done  for  her." 


MATTY.  l8l 

"Consult  mother  first,  dear,"  said  Milly.  "She 
may  see  objections  :  they  say  that  Matty's  parents 
are  dreadful  people,  and  they  may  choose  to  make 
trouble  for  you.  There  are  cases,  you  know, 
where  people  expect  you  to  pay  for  being  allowed 
to  confer  benefits  upon  them." 

"  I  wish  that  we  could  remove  the  child,  or 
both  the  children,  entirely  from  the  father  and 
mother,"  I  said. 

"They  will  never  allow  that  while  the  poor 
little  things  continue  to  be  profitable  to  them," 
said  Milly. 

"You  have  taken  up  something  of  a  task, 
truly,"  said  Bessie.  "  First  you  will  have  those 
wretched  parents  to  win  over,  and  then  that  un 
attractive  little  creature.  And,  Amy,  although  I 
would  not  wish  to  throw  cold  water  upon  your 
enthusiasm,  I  feel  sure  that  your  father  and 
mother  will  never  let  you  go  to  such  a  place  as 
the  home  of  the  child  must  be.  Milly's  mission 
came  to  her,  as  it  were,  heaven-sent,  it  seems  to 
me,"  she  added  in  a  reverent  tone;  "but  you 
must  seek  this  out  to  do  Matty  any  good,  and 
face  those  dreadful  relations  of  hers.  Your  father 
and  mother  will  never  listen  to  it,  and  they  will 
be  right.  Do  not  try  to  run  a  tilt  against  wind 
mills,  dear." 

"  No,  neither  will  I  make  mountains  out  of 
mole-hills,"  I  answered  lightly,  although  I  did  feel 
the  force,  yes,  and  the  truth  too,  of  Bessie's  reason- 


1 82  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES, 

ing,  and  had  my  own  doubts;  "and  certainly  I 
shall  not  have  more  unpromising  material  to  deal 
with  than  Milly  had  when  she  undertook  to  bring 
up  her  charges  in  the  way  they  should  go.  More 
over,  I  shall  not  attempt  to  beard  the  lions  in  their 
den  ;  but  I  suppose  I  have  to  win  my  way  into 
Matty's  affections  or  confidence,  or  whatever  it 
may  be  that  proves  assailable,  and  if  I  find  any 
way  to  help  her,  I  shall  ask  cousin  Serena  to  go 
into  partnership  with  me.  She  will  be  protection 
enough  anywhere,  for  no  one  could  think  of 
troubling  or  annoying  her  in  any  way." 

"Well,  I'm  not  so  sure  of  that,  either,"  said 
Bessie ;  "but  I'm  not  going  to  discourage  you  fur 
ther,  and  time  will  show.  But  how  do  you  mean 
to  set  to  work,  Amy  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  yet ;  how  can  I  ? "  I  answered. 
"I  have  only  just  thought  of  this,  and  of  course 
I  have  not  had  time  to  make  any  plans  or  to  think 
of  what  I  shall  do.  I  shall  firstly  go  this  very 
afternoon  to  cousin  Serena  ;  and  if  she  thinks  me, 
as  she  doubtless  will,  a  prodigy  of  benevolence, 
self-sacrifice,  and  generosity,  and  agrees  to  all  I 
ask  of  her,  I  shall  attack  father  and  mother 
to-night.  I  mean  to  act  while  the  frenzy  is  on 
me,  lest  my  ardor  cool,  and  I  see  the  many  lions 
in  the  way  which  you  bad  girls  are  trying  to 
conjure  up." 

Knowing  myself  in  this  respect  pretty  well,  I 
was  really  afraid  that  if  I  gave  myself  too  much 


MATTY.  183 

time  for  consideration  of  my  new  scheme,  I  might 
become  appalled  by  the  difficulty  and  disagree- 
ableness  which  were  prophesied;  and  I  was 
determined  to  place  myself  in  a  position  where  — 
unless  a  higher  authority  interfered  —  I  could  not 
in  pride  or  conscience  draw  back. 

Milly  had  taken  almost  no  part  in  the  little 
discussion  between  Bessie  and  me,  generally 
speaking  only  when  she  was  appealed  to  ;  and  I 
knew  by  this  that  she  did  not  altogether  approve. 
But  I  was  a  little  self-willed,  a  state  of  mind  not 
altogether  of  rare  occurrence  with  me,  I  am  afraid  ; 
and  I  chose  to  ignore  the  disapprobation  which 
was  implied  by  this  silence,  and  asked  her  no 
questions. 

And  now  for  cousin  Serena,  to  whom  I  bent 
my  steps  at  once,  accompanied  by  Bessie,  who 
volunteered  to  go  with  me ;  though,  to  tell  the 
truth,  I  could  have  dispensed  with  her  society  for 
this  occasion,  being  afraid  of  the  discouraging 
objections  and  criticisms  she  might  raise.  But 
she  ventured  none ;  on  the  contrary,  she  seemed 
rather  inclined  to  aid  and  abet  me  when  I 
broached  the  subject  to  cousin  Serena,  in  whom 
I  was  not  disappointed.  She  proved  herself —  the 
blessed  soul  — the  most  willing  co-adjutor,  even 
more  so  than  I  desired  ;  for,  running  to  a  closet 
where  she  kept  a  bountiful  provision  of  such 
articles,  she  began  to  bring  forth  flannel,  calico, 
and  stout  muslin  suitable  to  make  clothes  for  poor 


1 84  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

people;  whereupon  my  spirit  shrank  appalled, 
for,  if  there  was  one  occupation  which  I  hated 
more  than  another,  it  was  plain  sewing,  especially 
upon  coarse  material. 

"  O  cousin  Serena !  "  I  said,  "  I  am  not  going 
to  sew  and  make  clothes  for  Matty.  It  is  so 
much  easier  and  more  convenient  to  buy  them 
ready-made." 

This  speech,  I  was  sorry  to  see,  damped  cousin 
Serena's  ardor;  for  this  working  by  proxy,  as  it 
were,  did  not  at  all  coincide  with  her  old-fashioned 
notions;  and  "ready-made  garments"  were  to  her 
a  delusion  and  a  snare,  giving  opportunity  to 
Satan  to  find  mischief  for  idle  hands  to  do.  I 
hated  to  disappoint  her  when  she  was  so  enthusi 
astically  preparing  to  cut  put  work  for  both  Bessie 
and  me ;  but  I  hated  still  more  to  sew,  and  held 
my  ground,  being  borne  out  by  Bessie,  who  was 
not  any  more  partial  to  such  work  than  I  was. 
Cousin  Serena  shook  her  head,  and  sighed  over  the 
degeneracy  of  the  age  which  could  content  itself 
with  other  than  such  exquisite  "hand-sewing"  as 
she  did  herself. 

Having  gained  my  point,  and  made  her  promise 
all  that  I  wished,  I  insisted  that  she  should  go 
home  with  us  to  dinner,  taking  the  little  bower 
of  Dutch  Johnny,  the  florist,  by  the  way  for  a 
glimpse  of  Matty,  Cousin  Serena  had  never  seen 
her ;  but  I  was  not  afraid  to  have  her  do  so, 
unpromising  object  for  one's  charitable  sympathies 


MATTY.  185 

though  she  certainly  was,  for,  the  more  helpless 
and  repulsive-looking,  the  more  would  cousin 
Serena's  tender  heart  warm  toward  her. 

Our  errand  to  Johnny's  was  nominally  to  pur 
chase  flowers,  and,  of  course,  we  did  invest 
therein,  and  came  out  bearing  some  of  his  choicest 
blossoms ;  but  cousin  Serena  made  use  of  the 
opportunity  to  take  a  close  observation  of  Matty 
as  she  sat  at  her  little  peanut-stand  in  the  corner, 
sullen  and  lowering,  the  picture  of  discontent  and 
misery,  as  usual. 

But  cousin  Serena  did  more  than  this  ;  for,  with 
the  tact  which  she  always  showed  in  dealing  with 
people  of  this  class,  she  succeeded  in  arousing  a 
slight  feeling  of  interest  in  the  sullen,  disagreeable 
little  cripple. 

The  one  gift  which  had  been  granted  to  Matty 
was  a  profusion  of  beautiful  hair,  which,  however, 
was  never  seen  to  perfection,  as  it  was  always 
braided  tightly  and  wound  in  a  close  coil  about  her 
head,  giving  to  the  wizened,  shrunken  face  an  even 
older  look  than  was  natural  to  it.  If  she  had  any 
pride  in  any  thing,  it  must  have  been  in  this  hair, 
—  indeed,  she  had  little  else  to  be  proud  of,  —  for 
it  was  always  fairly  tidy.  Johnny,  it  seemed, 
always  exacted  a  certain  amount  of  cleanliness  and 
decency  as  the  price  of  her  admission  into  his 
shop ;  not,  perhaps,  that  he  had  any  inherent  love 
for  this  virtue,  as  such,  or  that  his  own  comfort 
and  happiness  depended  upon  them,  but  because 


1 86  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

he  feared  that  his  trade  might  be  injured  if  his 
customers  found  there  such  a  dirty,  ragged  little 
object  as  Matty  had  formerly  been.  Clean  hands 
and  faces,  well-brushed  hair,  and  as  much  patching 
of  ragged  clothes  as  the  neglected,  worse  than 
motherless  creatures  could  compass,  were  required 
from  Matty  and  Tony.  His  good-natured  wife 
sometimes  befriended  them  in  this  way,  and  put  in 
a  few  stitches  for  them  ;  the  result  being  profitable 
in  more  ways  than  one.  It  was  she,  and  not  the 
miserable,  intemperate  mother,  who  plaited  Matty's 
glossy  locks  in  the  heavy  braid  which  she  then 
wound  round  her  head. 

Cousin  Serena  went  up  to  the  peanut-stand, 
invested  in  Matty's  wares,  the  child  serving  her  in 
the  dull,  mechanical  way  usual  with  her,  and 
smiled  kindly  down  at  her,  eliciting,  however,  no 
response. 

"What  pretty  hair  you  have,  Matty!"  was  Miss 
Craven's  next  advance ;  and,  as  she  spoke,  she 
lightly  touched  with  her  gloved  finger  the  shining 
coil  which  many  a  society  belle  might  have 
envied. 

A  gleam  lighted  up  the  dull,  heavy  eyes,  and 
Matty  raised  them  to  the  dear  old  lady's  face. 

"  It  is  almost  a  pity  to  wear  it  so  closely  bound 
up,"  continued  cousin  Serena ;  while  Bessie  and  I, 
apparently  making  an  inspection  of  Johnny's  stock 
while  he  was  engaged  with  another  customer,  lent 
attentive  ears  to  what  passed,  I  feeling  rather  that 


MATTY.  IS/ 

my  intended  mission  work  had  been  taken  up  by 
other  hands  ;  "  it  would  show  so  nicely  if  you  wore 
it  loose  and  flowing  as  most  little  girls  do  now.  I 
would  like  to  see  it  when  it  is  down." 

With  a  motion  marvellously  quick  in  one  so 
crippled,  the  child  raised  her  hands,  unbound  the 
coil  from  about  her  head,  and  drawing  her  fingers 
through  the  plait,  let  the  rippling,  waving  masses 
fall  flowing  over  her  poor,  twisted,  mis-shapen 
shoulders. 

"  Amy  and  Bessie,"  said  cousin  Serena,  pursuing 
her  advantage  of  playing  upon  the  only  vanity  in 
poor  Matty's  nature,  "  Amy  and  Bessie,  come  here 
and  see  what  beautiful  hair  this  child  has.  It  is  a 
good  deal  like  yours,  Amy,  both  in  color  and 
quantity." 

With  another  sudden  motion,  Matty  drew  the 
shining  waves  in  front  of  her,  glanced  at  them 
lovingly,  and  then  raising  her  eyes  to  me  with  the 
first  appearance  of  any  thing  like  interest  in  them 
which  I  had  ever  seen,  scanned  my  locks,  and  said 
with  something  of  malicious  triumph  in  her  tone 
and  look,  — 

"It's  prettier  nor  her'n." 

"So  it  is,  Matty,"  I  said,  ignoring  what  Daisy 
would  have  called  the  "discompliment "  to  myself, 
and  determined  to  strike  while  the  iron  was  hot, 
or  at  least  approaching  an  unusual  degree  of 
warmth,  —  "  so  it  is ;  you  have  the  very  prettiest 
hair  I  ever  saw." 


1 88  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

Matty  did  not  smile,  —  I  never  but  once  saw  the 
light  of  a  smile  on  her  face,  — -  but  she  gave  a  low 
chuckle.  Evidently  we  had  touched  a  chord  that 
would  respond ;  an  ignoble  one  it  might  be,  but  it 
was  something  to  have  gained  even  this. 

Having  dismissed  his  customer,  Johnny  now 
came  to  the  front. 

"  Tis  goot,"  he  said,  pointing  to  the  beautiful 
locks  ;  "  'tis  goot.  Mine  wife  she  say  'tis  pest 
cut  off  dat  head  ;  bud  Maddy  she  so  moosh  lofe 
dat  head,  an'  'tis  so  goot,  I  say,  leaf  her  keep  her 
head.  So  mine  wife,  she  say,  'yes,  'tis  too  pad 
to  cut  dat  nice  head,'  an'  she  leafs  it  on  her,  an' 
mine  wife  she  comb  an'  prush  it  for  Maddy.  But 
I  tells  Maddy  she  shall  sell  dat  head  for  so  moosh 
as  fife  tollars  if  she  schuse." 

"Don't  ye  be  after  tellin'  me  mother  that," 
said  Matty,  with  a  sudden  look  of  angry  alarm, 
which  was  really  pathetic,  as  one  gathered  from  it 
that  the  child  felt  she  would  no  longer  be  allowed 
to  keep  her  one  cherished  possession,  if  any  idea 
of  its  pecuniary  value  were  suggested  to  her 
mother. 

"Nein,  nein,"  answered  Johnny,  shaking  his 
head  and  speaking  with  emphasis,  as  if  to  say  that 
this  was  a  secret  he  would  carefully  guard  from 
the  unnatural  parent.  "  Nein,  nein,"  he  repeated. 
"  If  I  tells  dat  mutter  any  tings,  'tis  as  dat  head 
is  so  pad  as  is  not  vort  notings." 

"  But  you  would  not  say  what  is  not  true,  even 


MATTY. 


to  save  Matty's  hair,  would  you  ?  "  said  Miss 
Craven,  unable  to  allow  this  more  than  doubtful 
morality  to  pass. 

Again  Johnny  wagged  his  head,  this  time  as 
one  quite  convinced  that  he  was  in  the  right,  and 
answered:  "If  I  tells  shust  one  nice,  leetle  pit  of 
a  lie"  (Johnny  did  not  mince  matters,  even  to  his 
own  conscience),  "'tis  for  to  keep  away  a  great 
pig  wrong  ;  for  if  I  tells  dat  mutter  de  shild's  head 
is  vort  so  moosh,  she  put  dat  head  in  de  scissors 
de  negst  minit." 

The  kindly  old  Dutchman  was  plainly  convinced 
that  the  end  justified  the  means,  and  cousin  Serena 
felt  that  any  further  discussion  of  the  question  was 
useless,  and  that  it  would  not  tend  to  improve 
Matty's  moral  views  or  those  of  her  brother  Tony, 
who,  had  just  come  in,  as  both  were  sure  to  side 
with  their  friend  and  benefactor. 

"We  will  hope  that  no  one  will  ever  touch 
Matty's  pretty  hair,"  she  said  ;  and  I,  seized  with 
a  sudden  inspiration,  and  still  appealing  to  Matty's 
vanity,  said,  — 

"  I  would  like  to  see  Matty's  hair  flowing  over  a 
dark-blue  dress.  How  it  would  set  it  off  !  Would 
you  like  a  blue  dress,  Matty  ?  Your  hair  will  look 
so  pretty  over  it  if  you  wear  it  down." 

Matty  looked  rather  askance  at  me.  She  evi 
dently  regarded  me  as  a  rival  in  the  matter  of  hair, 
and  was  not  inclined  to  accept  any  advances  on  my 
part  ;  but  friendly,  jolly  little  Tony  answered  for 


UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 


her  ;  while  she'hesitated,  evidently  meditating  some 
ungracious  answer. 

"  Oh,  wouldn't  she  though,  miss  !  I  guess  she 
would  like  it,  an'  her  hair  would  look  awful  pooty 
on  it,  an'  when  we  goes  to  the  Sunday-school 
festival,  —  when  it's  Easter,  ye  know,  —  Matty'll 
wear  the  blue  dress,  an'  her  hair  down  on  it,  an* 
she'll  look  as  good  as  any  of  the  girls  there,  an' 
better,  'cause  there  isn't  one  of  'em  has  hair  like 
Matty's.  —  An'  I'll  tell  ye,  Matty,  if  the  lady,  — 
she's  one  of  Jim's  young  ladies,  —  if  she  gives  ye 
the  blue  dress,  we'll  keep  it  to  Mrs.  Petersen's  if 
she'll  let  us,  so  ma  can't  get  it  for  the  drink.  — 
Are  ye  goin'  to  give  it  to  her,  miss  ?  " 

"  Indeed  I  am,"  I  answered  to  the  eager  ques 
tion.  "  Come  now,  Matty,  stand  up,  and  we'll 
measure  you  for  the  dress.  Perhaps  I  can  find  one 
ready-made,  and  you  shall  have  it  to-morrow.  — 
Johnny,  can  you  lend  me  a  yard-measure  ?  " 

Johnny  produced  one  ;  and  Matty,  still  half 
doubtful  whether  or  no  to  be  gracious,  and  eying 
me  with  a  gaze  which  had  some  lingering  vicious- 
ness  in  it,  rose  half  reluctantly  to  her  feet. 
Standing  so,  her  deformity  was  even  more  visible 
than  it  was  when  she  was  seated  ;  and  it  took  all 
my  nerve  and  power  of  will  to  take  the  measure  of 
the  mis-shapen  shoulders  without  shrinking  from 
the  touch.  And  then  I  saw  the  improbability,  I 
might-  say  the  impossibility,  of  finding  in  any  ready- 
made-clothing  store,  a  dress  which  would  fit  the 


MATTY.  IQI 

twisted  form.  One  must  be  made  on  purpose  ;  one 
which  would  set  at  defiance  all  rules  of  symmetry ; 
and  how  to  have  it  completed  to-morrow,  even  late 
in  the  day  to-morrow  ?  Where  should  I  go  to  have 
such  an  order  filled  by  the  time  I  desired  it  ?  And 
I  believed  from  what  I  had  seen  of  Matty  that  the 
non-fulfilment  or  postponement  of  my  hasty,  ill- 
considered  promise  would  be  enough  to  excite  all 
her  enmity  again.  However,  I  said  nothing  until 
we  were  out  of  the  little  shop,  when  I  exclaimed  at 
my  own  want  of  fore-thought,  and  asked  where  I 
could  go  to  have  my  order  fulfilled  without  delay. 

"  You  can't  do  it,"  said  Bessie.  "  Even  at  the 
stores  where  they  profess  to  furnish  costumes  at 
twenty-four  hours'  notice,  they  would  not  agree  to 
give  you,  in  so  short  a  time,  a  dress  for  which  they 
can  use  no  ordinary  pattern.  Amy,"  —  with  what 
seemed  to  be  a  most  irrelevant  change  of  subject, 

—  "  is    any  one  coming  to  your  house  to  dinner 
to-night  ? " 

"  Cousin  Serena,  and  yourself  if  you  will,"  I 
answered. 

"  Yes,  I  intended  to  suggest  that  you  should 
invite  me,"  answered  Bessie,  "and,  had  you  proved 
obdurate,  should  have  appealed  to  Milly  or  your 
mother.  Well,  there  will  be  four  of  us  :  yourself, 
cousin  Serena,  Milly,  and  myself;  and  we  will  press 
the  mother  and  Mrs.  Rutherford  into  the  service. 
Let  us  go  to  Arnold's,  buy  some  suitable  material, 

—  and  we  all   know  what  cousin  Serena  is  with 


I Q2  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

scissors  and  thimble,  —  coax  her  to  cut  out  a  dress 
for  Matty,  and  we  will  all  devote  the  evening, 
perhaps  the  whole  night,  to  it.  By  our  united 
exertions,  I  think  that  we  can  surely  accomplish  it 
in  time  for  you  to  take  it  to  her  to-morrow,  and 
your  credit  will  be  saved." 

"  If  we  were  not  in  the  street,  I  should  fall  upon 
you  with  kisses  and  tears  of  gratitude,"  I  answered 
ecstatically;  "as  it  is,  consider  yourself  embraced. 
—  Cousin  Serena,  will  you  help  us  ?" 

There  was  no  question  of  that :  cousin  Serena 
was  only  too  glad  to  give  us  her  services ;  and 
although,  as  I  have  said,  she  needed  to  be  guided 
and  tyrannized  over  in  the  matter  of  style  and 
fashion  where  her  own  dress  was  concerned,  she 
was  an  expert  in  fashioning  garments  for  the  poor. 

Bessie's  idea  was  acted  upon  forthwith.  We 
took  our  way  down  to  Arnold's,  purchased  the 
necessary  material,  and,  lest  it  should  not  be  sent 
home  in  time,  bid  pride  hide  its  head,  and  carried 
the  parcels  ourselves. 

Jim  beamed  upon  us  when  he  gathered,  from  the 
conversation  around  the  dinner-table,  to  what 
the  evening  was  to  be  devoted,  and  became  quite 
an  overpowering  nuisance  with  his  pressing  atten 
tions  to  the  young  ladies. 

The  dress  was  so  nearly  completed  that  night 
that  Milly  and  I  had  but  little  difficulty  in  finishing 
it  for  the  next  afternoon. 

Father  and  mother  gave  consent  to  my  pursuing 


MATTY.  193 

my  benevolent  intentions  with  regard  to  Matty,  so 
far  as  I  could  do  it  without  venturing  into  the  abode 
of  her  wretched  parents,  but  positively  forbade  my 
going  there  even  under  the  guidance  and  protec 
tion  of  cousin  Serena.  Indeed,  the  fear  of  them 
which  Tony  and  Matty  showed  augured  little  good 
or  encouragement  for  those  who  would  benefit  these 
children,  unless  some  profit  therefrom, was  to  accrue 
to  the  elder  Blairs  themselves. 

The  dress  was  ready  in  good  time,  and  supple 
mented  by  the  addition  of  a  warm  sack  of  the 
same  color  from  mother  and  a  little  cloth  cap  from 
aunt  Emily.  A  hood  had  been  in  the  thoughts  of 
the  latter,  as  warmer  and  more  suitable  ;  but  I  had 
begged  for  the  cap  as  affording  better  opportunity 
for  the  display  of  Matty's  hair.  "Poor  little 
object  !  "  I  pleaded  :  "why  not  allow  her  the  grat 
ification  of  this  small  vanity?"  and  aunt  Emily 
yielded,  as  she  was  sure  to  do  when  any  one's 
small  whims  and  fancies  were  to  be  satisfied. 

Maria  made  the  garments  into  a  neat  parcel  for 
me ;  and  I,  thinking  to  give  Jim  a  pleasure,  sum 
moned  him  on  his  return  from  school  to  be  the 
bearer  thereof,  and  to  accompany  me  to  Johnny's. 
That  Jim  was  pleased,  was  an  assured  fact ;  and 
his  tongue  wagged  incessantly  though  respect 
fully  all  the  way  until  we  arrived  at  our  destina 
tion.  Then  while  I  opened  the  parcel,  and 
presented  Matty  with  the  dress  and  other  articles, 
he  stood  by  in  delighted  contemplation,  looking 


IQ4  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

from  me  to  Matty  as  if  he  would  say  to  her,  "  This 
is  my  young  mistress;"  to  me,  "This  is  my 
protegee" 

As  for  Matty,  she  appeared,  so  far  as  she 
showed  any  feeling  at  all,  to  consider  that  the 
gifts  were  altogether  due  to  him  ;  and  she  vouch 
safed  no  word  of  thanks  to  me.  Not  that  I  cared 
for  expressions  of  gratitude ;  but  I  felt  a  little 
hopeless  as  I  saw  how  entirely  I  had  failed  to 
make  any  impression  on  her. 

Tony,  however,  who  was  present  again,  was 
profuse  in  his  thanks,  and  really  seemed  to  feel 
all  that  he  said. 

The  shining  hair  fell  like  a  shielding  veil  over 
Matty's  deformity  again  to-day ;  and  after  this  it 
became  her  practice  to  wear  it  so  when  she  was 
away  from  home.  There  she  wore  it  tightly 
bound  up,  and  kept  it  as  much  out  of  sight  as 
possible ;  fearing,  poor  little  creature,  that  she 
might  be  bereft  of  it,  should  any  idea  of  its 
pecuniary  value  enter  her  mother's  mind. 


CHAPTER  X. 
A  COLD   BATH. 


CHAPTER   X. 

A    COLD    BATH. 

"WELL,  Jim,"  I  said,  as  I  returned  home  in  the 
fast-gathering  twilight,  with  my  escort  trotting 
beside  me,  "how  are  you  getting  on  now  at 
school  ?  I  have  not  heard  lately." 

"  I'm  havin'  an  awful  hard  time  just  now,  Miss 
Amy,"  he  answered,  coming  nearer,  —  "an  awful 
hard  time." 

"  How  is  that  ?  "  I  asked.  "  Are  they  pressing 
you  too  much  ?  Have  they  given  you  too  many 
lessons,  or  are  those  you  had  before  becoming 
harder?" 

"Neither,  miss,"  he  answered.  "'Tain't  the 
lessons ;  I  don't  mind  them.  Lessons  ain't 
nothin'  —  I  mean  lessons  ain't  anything"  —  Jim 
was  growing  more  choice  in  language,  and  taking 
infinite  pains  with  his  parts  of  speech  —  "when  a 
feller  has  such  good  help  as  Miss  Milly  or  Mr. 
Edward.  If  they're  too  hard  for  me,  one  of  'em 
always  helps  me  an'  makes  'em  plain,  an'  I  keep 
along  good  enough  in  the  classes.  But  it's  the 
keepin'  cool,  an'  not  flyin'  out  when  I  get  pro 
voked,  'specially  with  that  Theodore  Yorke.  Miss 

197 


198  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

Amy,  you  never  saw  the  like  of  him.  He's  just 
the  meanest  chap  ever  breathed  ;  and  the  way  he 
finds  out  things  you  don't  want  him  to  know,  an* 
keeps  bringin'  'em  up  an1  naggin'  about  'em,  is  the 
worst." 

"All  the  more  credit  to  you,  then,  Jim,  if  you 
keep  your  temper  under  such  provocation,"  I 
answered  soothingly,  "  and  you  show  yourself  by 
far  the  better  man  of  the  two.  You  know  the 
Bible  says,  'Greater  is  he  that  ruleth  his  spirit 
than  he  that  taketh  a  city.'" 

"Well,  Miss  Amy,"  he  said,  "I  guess  it  ain't 
no  such  rememberin'  nor  Bible  texes  that  keeps 
me  cool.  It's  lots  of  other  things.  First,  I  do 
want  awful  bad  to  do  credit  to  Miss  Milly ;  then  I 
don't  want  to  fight  Theodore,  nor  have  a  real 
sharp  fallin'  out,  on  account  of  the  captain  an' 
Mrs.  Yorke ;  then  I'm  thinkin',  if  I  don't  learn  to 
hold  my  temper  now,  how  will  it  be  if  I  come 
to  be  President  of  these  States  ?  I  s'pose  there's 
lots  of  things  that'll  be  provokin',  an'  hard  to 
stand,  when  you're  President ;  and  if  Congress 
don't  want  to  mind  you  right  spang  off  when  you 
tell  'em  to  do  a  thing,  an'  goes  to  foolin'  round 
about  it,  I  s'pose  it  don't  do  to  be  flyin'  out,  'cause 
then  folks  would  think  you  wasn't  fit  to  be  Presi 
dent.  Besides,  when  one's  mad  he  can't  think 
about  the  best  way  to  do  things,  an'  I  might 
make  foolish  laws  they  wouldn't  like.  But  most 
of  all  it  will  be  a  great  deal  better  way  to  get 


A    COLD  BATH.  199 

even   with   Theodore   if   I    come    out    first   with 
Mr."  — 

Here  he  suddenly  checked  himself,  and  even  in 
the  dim  twilight  I  could  see  the  color  mounting 
to  the  roots  of  his  carroty  hair.  He  had  evidently 
been  on  the  verge  of  some  disclosure  which  he 
would  have  regretted,  and  no  questions  succeeded 
in  drawing  forth  any  thing  further  from  him. 

He  had  been  sufficiently  candid,  however,  in 
admitting  that  he  was  not  influenced,  in  the 
struggle  with  himself,  by  any  abstract  notions  of 
right  and  wrong,  or  by  any  special  desire  to  please 
a  higher  power.  But  that  he  had  some  motive 
still  undeclared,  and  of  greater  weight  with  him 
than  any  of  those  he  had  mentioned,  I  was  con 
vinced  ;  and  why  should  he  wish  to  keep  it  back  ? 

However,  my  cogitations  on  the  subject,  and 
Jim's  confidences,  were  now  cut  short  by  the 
appearance  at  the  corner,  of  another  escort,  who 
took  charge  of  me  at  once  with  a  very  decided 
remonstrance  against  my  remaining  out  till  this 
hour  "with  only  the  protection  of  that  boy." 

This  was  a  slight  which  would  have  wounded 
Jim  to  the  quick  had  he  heard  it,  which  he  for 
tunately  did  not,  as  it  was  spoken  in  an  undertone ; 
and  he  was  evidently  pleased  to  be  freed  from  an 
attendance  which  had  become  embarrassing  to 
him  by  his  own  indiscretion. 

"  What  do  you  suppose  he  could  have  meant  ? " 
I  asked  of  Milly  that  night,  after  I  had  rehearsed 


20O  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

to  her,  in  the  privacy  of  our  own  room,  my  conver 
sation  with  Jim. 

"  I  am  sure  I  do  not  know,"  said  my  sister.  "  If 
it  were  possible,  I  should  think  he  meant  uncle 
Rutherford's  prize ;  but  as  he  does  not  and  can 
not  know  of  that,  of  course  it  cannot  be.  And 
while  we  must  all  wish  that  he  were  acting  from 
a  higher  motive  than  any  of  these,  still  it  is  a  great 
point  gained,  that  he  is  so  learning  to  control 
himself  ;  the  habit  will  be  formed,  and  he  will  learn 
to  be  his  own  master.  But  I  fear  that  Theodore 
Yorke  is  not  a  truthful  or  upright  boy.  Even  our 
own  boys,  who  see  so  little  of  him,  call  him  a 
sneak ;  and  although  he  has  a  bold,  self-assertive 
manner,  it  has  none  of  Jim's  frankness.  Oh, 
uncle  Rutherford,  I  wish  that  you  could  have  seen 
things  differently ! " 

But  as  uncle  Rutherford  had  not  only  seen 
things  in  his  own  light,  but  had  acted  thereon, 
there  was  nothing  for  us  to  do  beyond  giving  Jim 
what  help  we  could.  There  was  little,  however, 
a  lady  could  do  to  help  a  boy  in  a  public  school  in 
his  struggle  with  adverse  circumstances,  save  by 
advice  and  encouragement ;  and  Milly  did  not  fail 
him  in  these. 

Takipg  a  hint  from  what  I  had  seen  of  Jim's 
influence  over  Matty,  I  now  based  my  plans  for 
her  benefit  and  regeneration  upon  that,  in  addition 
to  the  play  upon  her  vanity  by  means  of  that  won 
derful  and  much-prized  hair.  Jim,  too,  I  knew 


A    COLD  BATH.  2OI 

would  paint  me  and  all  my  doings  in  glowing  col 
ors,  making  much  of  any  little  kindness  I  might 
do  for  her. 

The  blue  dress  and  other  decent  clothes  were 
kept  at  kind  Mrs.  Petersen's  "for  fear  of  the 
drink,"  arid  Matty  donned  them  there  when  she 
found  occasion  to  wear  them ;  and  this  led  me  to 
carry  out  the  idea  of  rescuing  the  children,  Matty 
and  Tony,  entirely  from  the  intemperate  wretches 
who  dishonored  the  names  of  father  and  mother, 
and  placing  them  under  the  care  of  Mrs.  Petersen. 
So  long  as  the  two  little  cripples  brought  home 
such  portion  of  their  weekly  earnings  as  Jim  had 
agreed  should  be  allowed  to  Blair  and  his  wife,  the 
latter  cared  little  where  or  how  the  neglected 
children  spent  their  time,  especially  as  they  were 
now  provided  with  their  dinner  as  a  part  of  the 
price  of  their  services  at  the  peanut-stand. 

The  disapprobation  in  Milly's  manner,  which  I 
had  noticed  and  wondered  at,  when  my  new  enter 
prise  was  under  consideration,  had  altogether  van 
ished  after  that  first  afternoon ;  and  she  had  not 
only  helped  with  all  her  might  in  the  making  of 
the  blue  dress,  but  she  had  ever  since  been  inter 
ested  and  full  of  thoughtful  suggestion. 

"Milly,"  I  said  to  her  one  day  soon  after,  "why 
did  you  seem  so  unwilling  to  have  me  undertake 
to  care  for  that  little  cripple  ?  You  surely  had 
formed  a  precedent  for  such  things  in  our 
family.  I  never  could  understand  your  objec- 


202  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

tions ;  for,  that  you  had  objections,  I  could  not 
help  seeing." 

Milly  laughed. 

"I  find  that  such  objections  as  I  entertained 
were  not  well  founded,"  she  answered. 

"Perhaps  so,  but  that  does  not  tell  me  what 
they  were,"  I  insisted. 

"  Well,"  she  said,  "  I  was  a  little  afraid  that  Jim 
might  feel  that  you  were  trespassing  on  his  pre 
serves  ;  and  your  field  for  charity  is  so  large,  and 
his  so  small,  that  I  did  not  wish  him  to  imagine 
that  he  was  interfered  with." 

"Well,  that  is  disposed  of,  for  he  is  delighted 
with  my  co-operation,"  I  said.  "Now,  what  else 
was  it  ? " 

Milly  was  reluctant  to  say ;  but  I  persisted,  and 
at  last  she  answered,  — 

"  I  feared  that  it  was  only  —  that  you  would 
soon  tire  of  it,  Amy,  and  that  the  experiment 
would  then  prove  good  neither  for  you  nor  for 
Matty;  but  in  that  too  I  hope  I  was  wrong." 

After  events  left  no  room  to  prove  whether  or 
no  I  should  have  been  long  steadfast  to  my  pur 
pose  of  caring  for  poor  Matty ;  that  was  taken  out 
of  my  hands. 

Jim's  report  from  school  had  been  one  of  un 
broken  credit  for  weeks  now,  —  in  conduct,  that 
is  ;  and  to  those  who  knew  the  boy's  fiery,  impul 
sive,  and,  until  he  fell  under  Milly's  care,  untrained, 
nature,  the  record  was  a  remarkable  one.  In  his 


A    COLD  BATH.  2O3 

classes,  be  was  doing  fairly  well,  and  making 
progress  of  which  he  had  no  need  to  be  ashamed, 
but  his  lessons  were  by  no  means  always  perfect ; 
and,  happily,  it  was  not  so  much  to  them  that  we 
looked,  as  the  chief  means  for  his  gaining  uncle 
Rutherford's  prize,  for  Theodore's  standing  in  this 
respect  was  generally  a  better  one  than  his  own. 

I  had  noticed,  and  Milly  at  length  came  to  do 
so,  that  if  the  record  was  an  unusually  good  one, 
and  he  received  an  extra  amount  of  praise,  he  still 
always  appeared  sheepish  and  ill  at  ease,  and  as 
though  he  had  something  on  his  mind  which  he 
was  half-inclined  to  make  known.  But  he  never 
came  to  the  point  of  doing  so,  and  Milly  had 
ceased  to  ask  him. 

We  were  kept  pretty  well  informed,  too,  of  the 
progress  and  standing  of  Theodore  Yorke ;  partly 
by  uncle  Rutherford's  interest  in  the  matter  and 
the  inquiries  he  made  of  the  teachers  every  week, 
and  also  by  the  captain's  pride  in  his  grandson, 
whom  he  considered  a  prodigy  of  learning.  The 
boy  was  certainly  bright  and  clever,  as  was  Jim ; 
and  the  two  kept  fairly  even  in  their  record,  both 
for  lessons  and  conduct. 

But  while  Jim  continued  to  grow  in  popularity 
with  both  teachers  and  scholars,  it  was  not  so 
with  Theodore,  and  there  was  a  strong  prejudice 
against  him,  especially  among  the  boys.  There 
seemed  to  be  no  particular  cause  of  offence  or 
instance  of  wrong-doing  to  be  brought  against 


204  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

him,  but  there  it  was ;  and  neither  masters  nor 
schoolmates  seemed  to  place  any  confidence  in 
him. 

As  far  as  trade  went,  Jim  was  certainly  making 
a  good  thing  out  of  the  school  ;  for,  owing  to  his 
persuasions,  to  say  nothing  of  that  leaning  toward 
peanuts  which  is  a  marked  feature  of  every  boyish 
mind,  the  calls  at  Matty's  stand  on  the  way  to 
and  from  the  school  were  very  frequent  ;  and 
while  pennies  and  nickels  flowed  in  upon  the  small 
vender,  peanut-shells  were  scattered  all  over  the 
building  and  playground,  until  at  last  they  called 
forth  a  remonstrance  from  the  janitor.  Finding 
this  of  no  avail,  he  threatened  an  appeal  to  the 
higher  authorities  ;  but,  as  he  was  a  good-natured 
old  soul,  he  hesitated  to  draw  reproof  upon  the 
boys,  when  about  this  time  an  incident  occurred 
which  made  complaint  unnecessary,  as  peanuts 
became  prohibited  altogether  within  school  bounds. 

"Jim,"  said  a  boy,  coming  to  him  one  morning 
before  the  school-bell  rang,  "  do  you  see  the  lot  of 
peanuts  Theodore  Yorke  has  ?  " 

"  I  don't  pay  much  heed  to  Theodore  Yorke  or 
his  havin's,"  answered  Jim  scornfully.  "  It's  no 
odds  to  me  if  he  has  bushels  of  peanuts  or  nary  a 
one." 

"  But  maybe  it  is  odds  to  you,"  answered  the 
other  boy.  "  I  ain't  a  telltale ;  but  Theodore 
Yorke's  always  buyin'  peanuts  off  of  your  stand, 
an'  you  can  bet  he  comes  away  from  that  stand 


A    COLD  BATH. 


with  a  lot  more  peanuts  for  two  cents  or  five  cents 
than  any  one  of  the  rest  of  us  does." 

Jim  turned  sharply  upon  him. 

"  You  don't  mean  Matty  gives  him  over  measure, 
Rob  ?  "  he  said. 

"  She  don't  give  him  over  measure,  but  he  gets 
over  measure,"  replied  Rob;  "an'  I  tell  you  'cause 
I  think  it's  a  shame  to  be  cheatin'  you  an'  the 
girl." 

"  What  is  it,  then  ?  Out  with  it  !  "  exclaimed 
Jim.  "  I  can  see  how  she  can  cheat  him  givin' 
him  short  measure  if  she  likes,  but  I  can't  see 
how  he  can  cheat  her  gettin'  over  measure." 

"  S'pose  when  she's  measurin'  out  what  he's 
asked  for,  he  puts  his  hand  into  the  big  basket 
on  her  other  side,  maybe  more  than  once,  too  ; 
how'll  that  do  for  helping  himself  to  long  measure, 
hey  ?  "  said  Robert. 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  "  asked  Jim,  trying  to 
control  his  rising  fury  until  he  had  all  the  facts. 

"  I've  seen  him  do  it  more  than  once,  an'  more 
than  twice,"  replied  Rob.  "  You  know  we  live  in 
the  same  house,  and  mostly  come  on  to  school 
together,  an'  both  him  an'  me  is  apt  to  stop  for 
peanuts.  And  the  first  time  I  saw  him  do  that, 
taking  out  a  handful  extra  for  himself,  was  one 
morning  when  I  hadn't  any  money  to  buy  ;  but 
he  stopped  in,  and  I  staid  out,  'cause  it  was  too 
kind  of  tantalizing  to  go  in  and  smell  'em  all 
freshly  roasted,  and  not  get  any  ;  and  I  was  look- 


206  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

ing  in  between  the  posies  and  plants  in  the  shop, 
and  when  Matty  was  filling  up  her  measure  for  him 
—  only  the  two-center  one  —  I  saw  him  do  that 
mean  trick;  on  a  girl,  too,  and  she  a  hunchback! 
He  slipped  his  hand  into  the  basket,  and  carried  it 
full  to  his  dinner-basket.  So  after  that  I  watched, 
whether  I  went  in  or  staid  out  ;  and  he  never 
lets  a  time  go  by  that  he  don't  hook  a  handful, 
maybe  two,  if  he  gets  the  chance.  You  see,  that 
girl's  got  such  a  lot  of  thick  hair  hanging  round 
her,  it's  most  like  a  thick  veil,  and  would  keep 
her  from  seeing  what  goes  on  behind  or  by  the 
side  of  her.  I  tell  you,  Jim,  I  guess  with  one 
time  and  another  he  must  have  bagged  two  or 
three  quarts  of  peanuts  off  of  you  and  the  hunch 
back,  and  I  couldn't  let  it  go  on  any  longer.  This 
very  morning  he  bought  two  cents  worth,  and 
hooked  as  much  as  five." 

Jim's  indignation  had  grown  higher  and  fiercer 
with  every  succeeding  word  of  this  story ;  and, 
unfortunately,  at  this  moment  Theodore  came 
around  a  corner  of  the  school-building  upon  the 
playground,  and,  as  a  combination  of  ill  luck 
would  have  it,  he  was  eating  peanuts,  which  he 
extracted  from  a  pocket  whose  bulging  propor 
tions  showed  that  the  stock  from  which  he  was 
drawing  was  a  large  one. 

The  sight  inflamed  Jim's  passion  beyond  all 
bounds  ;  and  he  immediately  advanced  upon 
Theodore  in  a  manner  and  with  a  look  which  left 


A    COLD   BATH.  2O/ 

no  doubt  as  to  his  purpose.  The  culprit  dodged 
the  first  blow  aimed  at  him ;  but  in  another  instant 
Jim's  hand  was  upon  his  collar,  while,  with  lan 
guage  which  was  neither  choice  nor  mild,  he 
struck  him  several  times,  and  would  have  con 
tinued  the  blows  had  he  not  in  his  turn  been 
seized  upon  by  one  of  the  masters,  who  had  seen 
the  whole  thing,  to  whom  it  appeared  to  be  the 
most  unprovoked  attack. 

Jim's  fury  had  so  passed  beyond  restraint,  that  for 
a  moment  neither  the  sight  of  the  teacher  nor  his 
stern  voice  calling  him  to  order  had  the  effect  of 
bringing  him  to  his  senses  ;  and  he  even  turned 
upon  the  gentleman  himself,  probably  believing 
for  the  moment  that  it  was  one  of  the  other  boys. 
His  crestfallen,  mortified  look  when  he  was  re 
called  to  himself  did  not  help  him  in  the  esti 
mation  of  the  teacher,  who  took  it  as  a  sign  of 
guilt  ;  while  Theodore,  once  freed  from  his  assail 
ant,  stood  by  as  the  martyr  and  peaceable  boy 
who  would  not  strike  a  blow,  even  in  self-defence. 
Rob,  meanwhile,  frightened  by  the  consequences 
of  his  disclosures  to  Jim,  slunk  off  without  waiting 
to  bear  testimony  to  the  provocation  which  Jim 
believed  himself  to  have  received. 

Jim  was  "reported,"  of  course,  and  punished; 
and  the  knowledge  that  this  must  come  to  the 
ears  of  Miss  Milly  and  Mr.  Rutherford  did  not 
tend  to  soothe  his  anger,  nor  did  he  feel  that  his 
desire  for  vengeance  was  yet  satisfied.  As  he 


208  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

had  been  deprived  of  his  recess,  however,  he  had 
no  immediate  opportunity  of  gratifying  it ;  and 
when  school  was  over,  the  principal,  who  was  a 
just  though  strict  man,  and  who  was  particularly 
interested  in  uncle  Rutherford's  scheme  and  the 
two  rivals  for  his  prize,  called  both  Jim  and 
Theodore  before  him,  and  inquired  into  the  cause 
of  the  disturbance. 

Now,  Theodore  was  perfectly  well  aware  of  this, 
for  Jim  had  not  failed  to  make  use  of  his  tongue 
as  well  as  his  fists,  and  he  knew  that  in  some  way 
his  petty  and  oft-repeated  thefts  had  come  to 
light ;  but  he  was  not  going  to  confess  his  own 
iniquities,  and  Jim  was  what  Rob  Stevens,  with 
less  reason,  had  asserted  himself  to  be,  —  "no 
telltale." 

He  rather  sulkily  replied,  to  the  questions  of  the 
principal,  that  "  Theodore  knew,  and  could  tell  if 
he  liked  ;  "  but  Theodore  doggedly  declared  that  he 
had  given  and  knew  of  no  cause  of  offence,  and 
that  the  attack  had  been  entirely  without  reason. 

As  Jim  could  not  be  persuaded  to  bring  any 
accusation  other  than  the  scornful,  ferocious  looks 
with  which  he  regarded  Theodore  ;  while  Theodore 
himself  was  evidently  uneasy  and  fearful  lest  his 
antagonist  should  speak  the  truth, — Mr.  Rollins 
was  convinced  that  the  latter  was  really,  in  some 
way,  to  blame.  But  of  course  he  could  not  punish 
him  without  reason  ;  while  Jim  had  been  caught 
red-handed,  and  must,  at  least,  be  reprimanded 


A    COLD  BATH.  2OQ 

and  warned.  The  gentleman  told  him  that  he 
forfeited  his  recess  for  a  week,  and  that,  if  he  tres 
passed  again  in  this  manner,  he  would  be  degraded 
to  a  lower  class. 

Jim  received  his  sentence  in  silence ;  but  when 
Mr.  Rollins  spoke  of  the  penalty  to  follow  future 
offending,  his  ruddy  face  blanched.  That  meant 
not  only  disgrace  in  the  school,  but,  what  was  far 
worse  to  him,  before  Miss  Milly  and  Mr.  Ruther 
ford,  and  the  lessening  of  his  "chance"  with  the 
latter,  and  Theodore's  preferment  above  him. 

As  the  boys  were  dismissed  from  the  tribunal 
of  justice,  and  turned  away,  Mr.  Rollins  caught  a 
glance  of  gratified  malice  which  Theodore  cast  at 
the  other  boy ;  and  he  was  more  than  ever  per 
suaded  that  there  was  something  behind  all  this, 
and  that  Theodore  was,  perhaps,  the  one  who  was 
the  most  to  blame. 

They  had  reached  the  door,  when  Jim  turned, 
and,  coming  back  to  the  desk  of  the  principal,  said 
in  a  low  tone,  "Thank  you,  sir,  for  not  puttin' 
any  thing  more  on  me  than  the  recess.  I  don't 
mind  that  so  much,  an'  I'll  try  hard  not  to  break 
rules  again ;  but  you  can't  tell  how  hard  it  is  not 
to  get  mad  when  the  mad  lies  so  near  the  top, 
an'  you're  gettin'  "  —  "  cheated  "  would  have  been 
the  next  word,  but  Jim  checked  himself  ere  it  was 
spoken. 

"  Do  I  not,  my  boy  ?  "  answered  the  gentleman  : 
then  seeing  that  Theodore  was  lingering  at  the 


210  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

door  as  if  anxious  to  hear  what  passed,  he  said  to 
him,  with  something  of  sternness  in  his  voice,  born 
of  the  doubt  as  to  which  of  the  two  boys  was  the 
greater  culprit,  "  Go  on,  sir,  you  have  no  need  to 
wait ;"  adding  to  himself,  "That  boy  has  a  guilty 
conscience."  Then,  when  Theodore  had  closed 
the  door  behind  him,  he  turned  again  to  Jim,  and 
continued,  "  You  are  mistaken,  Jim,  if  you  think 
I  do  not  know  what  it  is  to  struggle  with  a  quick 
temper." 

"  You,  sir  ?  "   said  Jim. 

"Yes,  I,"  answered  Mr.  Rollins;  and  then  he 
followed  with  the  story  of  his  own  struggles  with 
a  passionate  temper,  and  the  final  victory  over 
himself,  with  much  good  advice  and  encourage 
ment  to  Jim.  Encouraged  the  boy  certainly  did 
feel,  as  he  left  the  presence  of  the  master,  fortified 
with  new  resolutions  for  the  future. 

But  master  Theodore  was  not  to  escape  without 
his  share  of  punishment. 

As  his  own  ill  luck  would  have  it,  —  perhaps  it 
would  be  better  to  say,  as  a  righteous  retribution 
would  have  it,  —  as  he  was  on  his  way  home  from 
school,  and  was  crossing  the  park  on  which  our 
house  fronted,  he  fell  in  with  three  or  four  of  his 
classmates,  among  them  Rob  Stevens,  the  wit 
ness  of  his  thefts. 

"What  have  you  done  with  Jim?"  asked  one 
of  the  boys. 

"  He's  getting  it  from  the  commander-in-chief," 


A    COLD  BATH.  211 

said  Theodore  exultantly.  "  He's  lost  his  recess 
for  a  week,  and  is  to  be  put  down  to  class  four  if 
he  gets  into  another  of  his  rages,  as  he's  sure  to 
do  ;  and  now  he's  taking  no  end  of  a  blowing-up. 
The  commander  sent  me  out  so  I  wouldn't  hear 
it.  Good  enough  for  him.  I  hope  he'll  get  it  hot 
and  heavy." 

"  What  did  you  get  ?  "  asked  Rob. 

"  What  did  I  get  ?  Nothing  ;  why  should  I  ? " 
responded  Theodore,  who  had  not  the  slightest 
idea  of  the  way  by  which  Jim  had  learned  of  his 
thefts,  or  that  here  was  his  accuser. 

"  Didn't  you  tell  why  Jim  pitched  into  you  when 
you  saw  he  was  gettin'  held  up  for  it  ? "  asked 
Rob. 

"  No  ! "  roared  Theodore,  partly  in  fear,  partly 
in  anger,  for  he  now  could  not  fail  to  see  that  Rob 
knew  something,  but  how  much  he  could  not  tell. 
"  I  hadn't  any  thing  to  tell,  and  hadn't  done  any 
thing  to  Jim,  —  to  his  high-mightiness  Jim  Grant 
Garfield  Rutherford  Livingstone  Washington,  the 
fellow  with  a  whole  dictionary-full  of  names,  and 
not  a  right  to  one  of  them  but  the  Jim.  I  just 
wish  he  would  get  into  a  dozen  tantrums,  till  he 
gets  expelled  from  the  school." 

"  Nothin'  mean  about  you,  is  there  ? "  said  one 
of  the  other  boys  indignantly,  although  he  was 
still  ignorant  of  the  cause  of  Jim's  provocation. 

But  this  was  too  much  for  Rob. 

The  boys  had  neared  the  fountain  in  the  centre 


,212  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

of  the  park.  At  this  season,  it  was  never  or  sel 
dom  playing ;  but  some  repairs  had  been  found 
necessary,  and  the  workmen  had  had  the  jet  in 
action  for  some  hours,  and  the  large  basin  around 
it  was  full  of  water.  The  boys  stopped  beside  it, 
not  noticing  a  tall  figure  which  sat  upon  one  of 
the  park  benches  near. 

"  Nothing  mean  about  him!  "  repeated  Rob  in  a 
loud  voice,  which  might  easily  be  heard  on  the 
other  side  of  the  fountain,  "  nothing  mean  about 
Theodore  Yorke  !  He's  the  meanest  sneak  in  our 
school,  or  out  of  it,  either !  I'll  tell  you  why  Jim 
pitched  into  him.  He's  been  stealing  peanuts  off 
of  Jim's  stand  when  the  little  hunchback's  head 
was  turned.  I  saw  him,  more  than  once,  and  I 
wasn't  going  to  have  it  any  longer  ;  so  I  told  Jim, 
and  I'd  just  told  him  of  it  when  Theodore  came  on 
eating  peanuts,  the  very  ones,  for  all  I  know,  that  I 
saw  him  steal  this  morning ;  and  no  wonder  Jim's 
spirit  was  up,  and  he  pitched  into  him.  I  wish 
he'd  had  it  out  with  him,  too,  before  Mr.  Leeds 
came  up.  If  he  was  going  to  be  punished,  he 
might  as  well  be  hung  for  a  sheep  as  a  lamb. 
And  Jim's  never  said  a  word,  I  s'pose,  or  let  on 
what  he  did  it  for  ;  and  you  let  him  take  all  the 
blame.  Bah  !  I  wouldn't  be  you,  for  a  cart-load  of 
peanuts  ! " 

"  You  didn't  see  me,  either.  I  don't  know  what 
you're  talking  about !  "  stammered  Theodore,  so 
taken  aback  by  the  damaging  testimony  of  this 


A   COLD  BATH.  21$ 

unexpected  witness  of  his  sin,  that  he  lost  all  self- 
possession,  and  his  looks  proclaimed  him  guilty  of 
the  offence  with  which  he  was  charged. 

Uprose  from  the  bench  beyond  the  group  the 
figure  sitting  there,  and,  striding  towards  the  still 
unobservant  boys,  laid  one  hand  upon  Theodore's 
collar,  the  other  on  that  of  Rob ;  and  the  startled 
Theodore  looked  up  into  the  stern,  set  face  of  his 
grandfather. 

"Have  I  heerd  aright  ? "  said  the  old  man  in  his 
righteous  wrath.  "  Have  I  heerd  my  gran'son 
called  a  thief,  an'  a  sneak,  what  let  a  boy  like  Jim 
be  blamed  for  doin'  what  he  had  a  right  to  do,  if 
what  this  'ere  feller  says  is  true  ?  —  Kin  ye  prove 
it  ? "  turning  to  Rob,  while  he  still  kept'  a  tight 
hold  on  either  boy. 

"Yes,  I  can,"  said  Rob,  maintaining  his  ground, 
although  he  was  a  little  frightened  by  the  captain's 
looks  and  tones ;  and  once  more  he  rehearsed  the 
story  in  all  its  details. 

By  this  time  several  persons,  attracted  by  the 
somewhat  unusual  spectacle  of  an  old  man  holding 
two  boys  by  their  collars,  had  stopped  to  hear  what 
was  going  on  ;  and  there  were  symptoms  of  a 
crowd.  Seeing  this  from  afar,  a  policeman  bore 
down  upon  the  scene,  —  the  very  one  who  had 
had  the  dispute  with  the  captain  as  to  the  pro 
priety  of  Daisy  playing  peanut-vender  on  the  street- 
corner. 

As  he  came  near,  Captain  Yorke  released  his 


214  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

hold  upon  Rob's  collar  ;  then  tightening  that  upon 
Theodore's,  the  still  stalwart  old  seaman  lifted  the 
boy  from  his  feet,  and,  stepping  close  to  the  basin 
of  the  fountain,  plunged  him  over  his  head  in  the 
icy  water.  The  day  had  been  a  mild  one,  sunny 
and  bright,  for  spring  was  in  the  air  ;  but  the  water 
was  still  sufficiently  cold  to  make  such  a  sudden 
plunge  any  thing  but  pleasant,  and  this  summary 
method  of  punishment,  well  deserved  though  most 
of  the  spectators  knew  it  to  be,  was  not  to  be  toler 
ated  in  such  a  public  place.  So  thought  the  police 
man  who  now  came  running  up,  as  the  captain, 
having  given  his  grandson  three  good  dips,  lifted 
him  dripping  and  shivering  from  the  basin,  and 
placed  him  upon  his  feet. 

"  What's  this  ?  "  asked  the  officer,  who  had  long 
since  made  his  peace  with  the  old  man,  who  was 
wont  to  hang  about  the  park,  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
our  house,  and  who  amused  him  vastly  with  his 
comments  upon  men  and  things  in  the  city. 
"What  are  you  up  to  now,  captain  ? " 

"  Givin'  this  boy  a  duckin'  ;  an'  if  I  told  ye  what 
for,  I  donno  but  ye'd  be  for  takin'  of  him  up," 
answered  the  captain,  disregarding  all  considera 
tions  of  parental  or  family  pride.  "  If  ye  fin'  me  a 
meaner  one  nor  he  is  in  this  big  town,  I'll  duck 
him,  too,  an'  keep  him  under  till  he  begs  an' 
swears  he'll  mend  his  ways.  — Now,  git  along 
home,  sir,"  to  the  shaking  Theodore.  "I'd  willin' 
pay  for  two  suits  of  clo's  to  have  the  satisfaction  of 


A    COLD  BATH.  21$ 

givin'  ye  yer  desarvins,  though  I  don't  know  as 
ye've  got  'em  yet.  Git !" 

Theodore,  only  too  glad  to  obey,  sped  away  like 
the  wind  ;  while  the  captain,  as  the  policeman  was 
about  to  interfere  further,  turned  to  the  officer,  and, 
taking  him  by  the  arm,  as  if  he  were  going  to 
arrest  /«';;/,  repeated  in  a  friendly  tone,  "  He's 
had  no  more  than  his  desarvin's,  — young  scamp; 
an'  them's  my  opinions.  I'll  tell  ye." 

"  But  what  are  you  about,  ducking  that  boy  in  a 
public  fountain  ?  "  asked  the  officer,  doubtful  what 
course  to  pursue  with  the  old  original.  "Don't 
you  know  such  a  thing  is  a  breach  of  the  public 
peace  ? " 

"I  don't  know  nothin'  about  your  breaches," 
said  the  old  veteran,  no  whit  disturbed;  "but  I 
knows  I  got  a  right  to  duck  that  boy  where'er  I've 
a  min'  to.  He's  my  gran'son,  —  more  shame  to 
me, — an' a  little  water  ain't  goin'  to  hurt  him. 
His  fam'ly's  used  to  water,  —  good  salt  water, 
too,"  with  a  contemptuous  look  at  the  fluid  in  the 
fountain  basin,  "  an'  if  I  could  wash  the  meanness 
outer  him,  I'd  duck  him  a  dozen  times  a  day. 
Come  along." 

And  still  with  his  hand  upon  the  policeman's 
arm,  the  captain  turned  away  with  him,  soon  satis 
fying  the  guardian  of  the  peace  that  this  was  no 
case  for  arrest.  Barney  agreed  that  he  had  the 
right  to  take  the  law  into  his  own  hands,  although 
this  was  hardly  the  place  for  him  to  do  so. 


2l6  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

Of  course  Theodore's  thefts,  and  the  story  of 
the  grandfather's  summary  punishment,  went  the 
rounds  of  the  school  the  next  morning,  and  it 
soon  reached  the  ears  of  the  teachers  and  principal ; 
and  Theodore  was  called  up  again  before  the  latter, 
this  time  to  receive  a  far  sterner  reprimand  than 
had  been  bestowed  upon  Jim.  As  the  offence  had 
been  committed  out  of  school  bounds  and  school 
hours,  the  punishment  for  it  did  not  lie  within  the 
jurisdiction  of  Mr.  Rollins  ;  but,  in  addition  to  that 
which  he  had  received  from  his  grandfather,  it  was 
meted  out  to  him  on  the  school  premises.  From 
that  time  he  acquired  the  sobriquet  of  "  Peanuts," 
—  a  name  which,  short  as  it  was,  attracted  far 
more  derision  and  notice  than  that  of  Jim  Grant 
Garfield  Rutherford  Livingstone  Washington. 

And  Jim,  for  his  silence  before  the  principal, 
his  heroic  determination  to  "  tell  no  tales,"  was 
more  of  a  favorite  than  ever. 

Whether  this  tended  to  lessen  Theodore's  ani 
mosity  toward  him,  or  to  soften  the  standing  feud 
between  them,  may  be  judged. 

The  contempt  and  dislike  which  the  school  gen 
erally  entertained  for  Theodore  were  brought  to 
their  height,  when  the  edict  was  promulgated  that 
peanuts  should  be  no  longer  brought  within 
bounds.  Being  a  forbidden  fruit,  they  at  once 
acquired  a  value  and  desirableness  even  beyond 
that  which  they  had  possessed  before.  By  some 
unexplained  process  of  reasoning,  the  authorities 


A    COLD   BATH.  2I/ 

had  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  they  were  the 
cause  of  the  late  disturbance;  and  so  they  were 
tabooed,  much  to  the  displeasure  of  the  boys, 
who,  beside  the  deprivation  to  themselves,  con 
sidered  Jim  a  victim,  as  the  order,  of  necessity,  in 
a  measure  lessened  his  sales. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


FIVE    DOLLARS. 


CHAPTER    XL 

FIVE    DOLLARS. 

DEAR  old  Mrs.  Yorke  had  improved  rapidly  under 
the  care  of  the  specialist  who  was  treating  her 
case  ;  but  she  was  ill  at  ease  in  her  city  quarters, 
partly  because  she  was  unaccustomed  to  her  sur 
roundings,  partly  because  she  was  never  certain, 
when  the  captain  was  away  from  her,  that  he  was 
not  doing  some  unheard-of  thing  which  might 
bring  him  into  a  serious  predicament.  And  now 
here  was  this  trouble  between  Jim,  of  whom  she 
and  the  captain  were  so  proud  and  so  fond,  and 
her  grandson,  and  the  disgrace  of  the  latter ;  so 
that  just  now  her  bed  was  not  one  of  roses,  and 
she  longed  for  the  quiet  and  peace  of  her  simple 
seaside  home. 

"  If  Adam  would  but  go  home,  and  take  the  boy 
with  him,"  she  sighed  to  Mammy  one  day,  "  I 
could  be  easy  in  my  mind,  for  I  know  that  Jabez 
and  Matilda  Jane  and  Mary  would  look  after  him 
well,  and  he  would  be  out  of  harm's  way  ;  but  now 
I  wouldn't  be  a  bit  surprised  if  some  day  he  turned 
up  in  the  police-court,  just  for  doin'  something  he 
thought  was  no  harm,  but  that  is  against  city 


222  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

rules.  His  ways  and  city  folks'  ways  ain't  alike. 
An'  there's  the  boy,  an'  what  he's  done  ;  all  the 
school  learnin'  in  the  world  ain't  goin'  to  pay  for 
such  a  shame.  No,  you  needn't  say  it  was  on'y  a 
boyish  trick ;  you  on'y  say  that  to  make  me  more 
easy  like ;  an'  with  thanks  all  the  same  to  Gov 
ernor  Rutherford,  I'd  a  sight  rather  he'd  left 
Theodore  down  to  the  Point,  an'  out  of  the  way 
of  such  temptations  as  he  gets  here.  An'  when 
they  once  begin  that  way  as  boys,  you  never  know 
where  they'll  end.  No,  no;  I  wish  Adam  and 
the  boy  were  home." 

Poor  Mrs.  Yorke !  She  had,  indeed,  too  much 
reason  to  dread  the  after  results  of  "  once  begin 
ning  that  way ; "  for  Theodore  seemed  likely  to 
follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his  good-for-nothing 
father. 

Uncle  Rutherford,  of  course,  heard  of  the  pea 
nut  episode,  and  expressed  a  fitting  censure  on 
Theodore's  conduct,  both  to  our  family  and  to  the 
boy  himself ;  but  we  said  among  ourselves,  that 
he  not  only  appeared  to  endorse,  but  to  enjoy, 
Jim's  swift,  passionate  punishment  of  Theodore, 
and  he  escaped  with  a  very  slight  reproof,  if, 
indeed,  the  few  words  he  said  to  him  concerning 
the  matter  could  be  called  reproof ;  and  Milly 
felt  no  fear  that  he  had  lost  ground  with  uncle 
Rutherford. 

Fortunately  the  captain,  knowing  little  or  noth 
ing  of  the  streets,  was  given,  when  by  himself, 


FIVE  DOLLARS.  22$ 

to  haunting  our  neighborhood  and  the  park  oppo 
site;  so  that  he  came  much  under  the  notice  and 
patronage  of  the  friendly  policeman,  whose  daily 
beat  was  in  that  quarter,  and  who  kept  him  on 
many  an  occasion  from  going  astray,  or  making  a 
spectacle  of  himself. 

The  captain  had  sought  out  Rob  Stevens, 
insisted  that  he  should  tell  him  just  how  many 
times  he  had  seen  Theodore  steal  peanuts  from 
Matty,  and,  so  far  as  he  could  judge,  to  what 
amount  each  time  ;  then  counting  up  what  he 
supposed  them  to  be  worth,  which  he  put  at  an 
enormously  high  valuation  —  the  honest  old  man ! 
—  that  he  might  be  sure  to  err  on  the  right  side, 
he  forced  Theodore  to  go  with  him  to  the  stand, 
and  pay  Matty  for  the  stolen  fruit.  He  endeav 
ored,  too,  to  make  him  apologize  to  Jim,  both  for 
the  theft  of  his  property,  and  also  for  his  con 
temptible  meanness  in  keeping  silent  on  the 
occasion  of  Jim's  attack  on  the  playground.  But 
here  he  was  powerless :  Theodore  absolutely  and 
doggedly  refused  to  do  it ;  and  his  grandfather 
was  obliged  to  content  himself  with  relieving  his 
own  feelings,  and  further  expressing  his  senti 
ments  on  the  boy's  conduct,  by  giving  him  a 
severe  flogging. 

Spring  was  upon  us  now  ;  an  early,  mild,  and 
beautiful  spring.  Day  after  day  of  sunny  deli 
cious  weather  succeeded  one  another  ;  the  chil 
dren  came  home  from  their  walks  or  drives  in 


224  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

the  Central  Park,  in  ecstasies  over  the  robins, 
blue-birds,  and  squirrels  they  had  seen.  In  the 
woods  at  Oaklands,  —  whither  father  went  once  or 
twice  a  week  to  have  an  eye  upon  his  improve 
ments  and  preparations  for  the  summer,  —  spring- 
beauties,  hepaticas,  and  anemones,  and  even  a  few 
early  violets,  were  showing  their  lovely  faces  ;  and 
all  young  things  —  ah,  and  the  older  ones  too  — 
were  rejoicing  that  the  "winter  was  past  and 
gone." 

With  the  advent  of  the  mild  weather,  Matty's 
stand  had  been  removed  out  of  doors  and  beneath 
the  shelter  of  Johnny  Petersen's  shop  ;  and  this 
situation  proved  more  profitable  than  it  had  been 
within,  as  many  a  charitable  passer-by,  seeing 
the  pitiful  figure  and  pinched  face  of  the  poor 
child,  would  stop  to  purchase.  During  the  hours 
of  the  day  when  the  sun  was  warm  and  bright, 
her  surroundings  were  not  much  less  attractive 
than  they  had  been  within  ;  for  the  glass  sashes 
of  the  little  flower-store  were  generally  wide  open 
behind  her,  while  Johnny  frequently  brought  forth 
some  of  his  plants  for  an  airing  upon  the  side 
walk. 

As  his  custom  increased  with  the  warm  weather, 
and  people  came  for  potted  plants  and  so  forth 
for  their  gardens  and  windows,  Johnny  occasion 
ally  found  it  necessary  to  be  away  for  a  few  hours 
buying  new  stock  at  the  larger  greenhouses  and 
markets  ;  and  when  Mrs.  Petersen  did  not  find  it 


FIVE  DOLLARS.  22$ 

convenient  to  take  his  place  in  the  shop,  he  de 
pended  upon  Tony  to  keep  watch,  and  make  small 
sales  for  him.  The  lame  boy  was  bright  and  apt ; 
and  Johnny  had  drilled  him  well  as  to  prices  and 
so  forth,  and  found  him  a  tolerably  satisfactory 
substitute  during  his  own  times  of  absence. 

One  would  have  thought  that  Theodore  Yorke 
would  have  avoided  the  neighborhood  of  the 
peanut -stand  after  his  exposure  and  disgrace  ; 
but  it  was  not  so.  His  grandfather  had  cut  short 
the  small  amount  of  pocket-money  which  he  had 
occasionally  given  him,  and  he  was  now  left  penni 
less,  and  so  no  more  visited  the  place  as  a  cus 
tomer;  but  he  seemed  to  take  a  delight  in  hanging 
around  it,  and  annoying  Matty  and  Tony,  who 
were  now  on  their  guard,  and  watched  him  unceas 
ingly.  Tony  and  he  frequently  exchanged  sundry 
compliments  not  suited  to  ears  polite  ;  and  Johnny, 
if  he  saw  him,  would  come  out  and  drive  him 
away.  The  shop  was  absolutely  forbidden  ground 
to  him ;  within  it  he  was  not  suffered  to  set  a 
foot. 

One  bright  afternoon  when  Johnny  Petersen 
happened  to  be  away,  and  Tony  was  in  charge, 
Theodore  came  sauntering  up  to  the  stand,  to  the 
great  dissatisfaction  of  the  children.  Matty  was 
in  her  usual  seat  behind  her  table ;  Tony  seated 
on  the  low  door-step  of  the  store,  his  crutches 
lying  on  the  ground  beside  him  and  within  reach 
of  his  hand. 


226  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

Theodore  came  up,  glanced  into  the  store,  and, 
seeing  that  the  master  was  absent,  addressed  him 
self  to  the  amiable  amusement  of  teasing  and 
worrying  those  who  were  too  helpless  to  defend 
themselves. 

"  Me  an'  Matty's  lookin'  out  for  ye,  an'  ye 
needn't  come  roun'  to  be  stealin'  no  more  pea 
nuts,"  said  Tony  at  length,  "an'  I'll  call  the  M.  P. 
if  you  comes  too  close  to  the  stand.  We  ain't 
goin'  to  stan'  no  foolin',  we  ain't ;  an'  Jim  told  us 
you  don't  have  a  cent  of  money  now,  so  you  ain't 
come  to  buy  with  one  hand  an'  help  yourself  with 
t'other.  It'd  be  helpin'  yourself  with  both  ;  so 
clear  out ! " 

"  I  ain't  comin'  near  your  old  peanuts,"  said 
Theodore;  "an'  they  ain't  yours,  anyway." 

This  style  of  converse  continued  for  some 
minutes,  growing  more  and  more  personal  each 
instant ;  till  at  last  Theodore  said  to  Matty,  who, 
according  to  her  usual  custom,  had  remained 
perfectly  silent,  — 

"If  I  had  such  a  cushion  on  my  back  as  yours,  I 
wouldn't  make  it  bigger  piling  such  a  heap  of  hair 
on  it.  You  look  like  a  barber's-shop  show  figger. 
I  wonder  you  don't  sell  yourself  for  a  show  figger. 
You'd  look  so  pretty  an'  smart." 

Matty  only  gave  him  one  of  her  most  vicious 
looks,  and  clinched  her  small  claw-like  hands  as 
though  they  longed  to  be  at  him  ;  but  Tony 
answered  for  her. 


FIVE  DOLLARS.  12*J 

"  They  don't  get  no  such  hair  to  the  barbers' 
shops  without  payin'  lots  for  it,"  he  shouted ;  "an' 
she  ain't  no  need  to  make  a  rigger  of  herself. 
She  can  sell  it  for  a  heap  of  money,  —  five  dollars, 
if  she  chooses,  —  Mr.  Petersen  says  so,  an'  Jim 
says  so,  too.  But  she  ain't  a-goin'  to  have  it  cut 
off ;  she  likes  it  too  much,  an'  the  ladies  likes  it, 
Jim's  ladies  do,  an'  they  telled  her  to  leave  it 
hang  down,  an'  one  on  'em  give  her  a  blue  dress 
to  make  it  look  purtier  on  it ;  an'  she's  give  her 
lots  of  things  more.  An'  they've  give  me  lots  of 
things,  too  ;  the  ole  un  she  give  me  a  whole  suit 
for  Easter,  an'  me  an'  Matty  looked  as  good  as 
any  of  'em.  An'  Jim  says — now  you  keep  off," 
as  Theodore  drew  nearer,  "you  keep  off,  or  I'll 
call  the  M.  P.  He  ain't  so  fur." 

"  Oh,  '  you  will,  will  you  ?  "  said  Theodore  ; 
"you've  got  to  catch  him  first,  and  me,  too,  old 
Hippity-hop,"  and  with  a  kick  he  sent  both 
crutches  far  beyond  the  reach  of  the  lame  boy, 
then,  with  a  derisive  laugh,  ran  off.  And  there 
Tony  sat,  helpless  and  unable  to  pursue,  till  a 
compassionate  passer-by  brought  him  the  crutches  ; 
for  Matty  could  not  stoop  for  them.  Had  the  old 
captain  seen  this  cowardly,  contemptible  deed,  he 
would  probably  have  thought  that  all  the  waters 
of  all  the  oceans  could  not  "  wash  the  meanness  " 
from  the  soul  of  his  grandson. 

For  the  rest  of  that  day  and  for  the  next,  and 
for  two  or  three  succeeding  ones,  Theodore's 


228  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

thoughts  dwelt  much  upon  this  last  interview 
with  the  two  cripples ;  but  do  not  let  it  be  thought, 
with  any  disquieting  reproaches  from  his  con 
science,  or  any  feeling  of  remorse.  To  him,  all 
that  had  passed  was  a  mere  nothing,  not  worth  a 
second  thought,  save  for  the  one  idea  which  had 
made  a  deep  impression  on  him. 

That  hair  of  Matty's,  that  mass  of  beautiful, 
shining  hair,  which  even  his  boyish,  unpractised 
eye  could  see  was  something  uncommon,  —  worth 
five  dollars  ;  it  was  impossible  !  And  yet  could  it 
be  ?  If  "  Jim's  ladies  "  thought  it  so  beautiful, 
it  might  be  that  it  was  worth  a  good  deal  of 
money.  What  fools,  then,  were  Matty  and  Tony, 
the  one  for  keeping  it  upon  her  head,  the  other 
for  not  persuading  her  to  part  with  it,  and  taking 
a  share  of  the  money  for  himself !  In  all  his  life 
Theodore  had  never  had  so  much  money  ;  and  his 
mean,  selfish  soul  at  once  set  itself  to  devise 
means  by  which  one  —  he  did  not  yet,  even  to  his 
own  thoughts,  say  himself  —  could  gain  possession 
of  the  girl's  hair. 

He  had  heard  of  girls  being  robbed,  in  the 
street,  of  their  hair ;  but  that  would  never  do  here 
with  Matty,  no,  not  even  though  he  had  an  accom 
plice  to  help  him.  And  he  knew  of  no  one  to 
whom  he  could  even  suggest  such  a  thing;  for  he 
had  no  acquaintances  in  the  city  save  the  boys  in 
his  school ;  and  to  no  one  of  them  could  he  or 
would  he  dare  to  propose  it,  although  he  knew 


FIVE  DOLLARS.  22Q 

that  there  were  among  them  some  who  were  none 
too  scrupulous  to  do  a  shabby  thing  if  they  thought 
they  could  gain  any  advantage  by  it. 

All  this  time  I  had  vainly,  as  I  thought,  tried 
to  gain  any  influence  over  Matty.  She  took  my 
gifts,  it  is  true,  and  wore  or  otherwise  made  use  of 
them ;  but  she  never  showed  the  slightest  token 
of  pleasure  in  them,  or  uttered  one  word  of  ac 
knowledgment,  and  she  was  still  entirely  unre 
sponsive  to  any  other  advances  on  my  part.  It 
was  Tony,  bright,  jolly  little  Tony,  who  thanked 
me  with  real  Irish  effusion,  always  greeted  me 
with  the  broadest  of  smiles,  and  testified  his  grati 
tude  and  appreciation  of  my  efforts  for  Matty's 
welfare  by  various  small  offerings,  till  I  really 
wished  I  had  chosen  him  to  befriend  instead  of 
that  hopeless  subject,  his  sister.  It  became  quite 
a  little  family  joke,  as  almost  every  evening  when 
he  and  Matty  came  to  deliver  the  day's  earnings 
to  Jim  — for  it  was  not  considered  safe  for  them  to 
carry  the  money  to  their  own  home  —  he  brought 
also  some  small  token  for  "  Jim's  second  young 
lady,"  whereby  I  was  understood;  now  a  couple  of 
daisies,  a  rose,  or  two  or  three  violets,  or  a  few 
sprigs  of  mignonnette,  begged  from  Dutch  Johnny  ; 
now  a  bird's  nest,  manufactured  by  himself  out  of 
twine  and  a  few  twigs  ;  and  once  a  huge  turnip 
which  he  had  seen  fall  from  a  market-cart  as  it 
passed  on  its  way  down  the  avenue,  and  picking 
it  up,  after  vainly  trying  to  make  the  carter  hear, 


230  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

had  laid  it  aside  as  a  suitable  gift  for  me  ;  and  an 
other  time  he  brought  for  my  acceptance  a  hideous, 
miserable,  half-starved  kitten,  which,  as  I  was 
known  by  the  servants  to  have  a  horror  of  cats, 
was  declined  for  me '  both  by  Jim  and  Thomas, 
greatly  to  Tony's  mortification  and  disappoint 
ment. 

At  the  Easter  festival,  when  he  and  Matty  had 
"looked  as  good  as  anybody,"  to  his  mind,  each 
child  in  the  Sunday  school  had  been  presented 
with  a  small  pot  of  pansies  ;  and  Tony,  instead  of 
taking  his  home,  had  come  from  the  church  to 
our  house,  and,  asking  for  me  by  his  usual  title  of 
"  Jim's  second  young  lady,"  had  shyly  presented 
his  Easter  token. 

Yes,  I  would  fain  have  made  an  exchange,  and 
taken  Tony  as  my  charge  ;  but  pride,  and  the 
recollection  of  Milly's  fear  that  I  would  not  perse 
vere  with  Matty,  forbade. 

I  had  thought  over  all  manner  of  plans  for  re 
moving  both  children  from  the  influence  of  their 
wretched  home  and  drunken  parents;  but  most  of 
these  were  pronounced  by  the  more  experienced 
to  be  visionary  and  not  feasible.  So  they  still 
continued  to  return  to  them  at  night,  although, 
"weather  fair  or  weather  foul,  weather  wet  or 
weather  dry,"  they  never  failed  to  be  present  at 
their  post  as  early  as  possible  in  the  morning. 

Miss  Craven  and  I  had  taken  from  Jim  the 
charge  of  providing  the  cripples'  dinner ;  and  for  a 


FIVE  DOLLARS.  23! 

trifling  sum  Mrs.  Petersen,  who  had  no  children 
of  her  own,  gave  them  that  meal  and  their  supper 
in  her  room,  so  that  in  many  respects  they  were 
far  better  off  than  they  had  been. 

But  still  there  seemed  no  loop-hole  where  I 
could  insert  a  wedge  for  Matty's  moral  regenera 
tion  ;  she  appeared  to  remain  hard,  impenetrable, 
and  suspicious. 

The  story  of  the  "ducking"  had,  of  course, 
been  graphically  rehearsed  by  those  of  the  school 
boys  who  had  witnessed  it,  to  those  who  had  not ; 
and  there  were  but  few,  if  any,  who  did  not  enjoy 
the  recital  of  Theodore's  punishment  and  dis 
grace.  And  from  that  time  Captain  Yorke  had 
become  a  marked  figure  with  the  boys.  Before 
this,  he  had  not  been  known  to  many  of  them  ; 
but  now  he  was  pointed  out  by  the  few  who  had 
been  present  at  the  scene  at  the  fountain,  as  the 
Spartan  grandfather  who  had  not  hesitated  to 
deal  out  punishment  to  his  own  flesh  and  blood, 
when  it  seemed  to  him  that  justice  demanded  it. 
He  was  often  to  be  seen  now  in  the  park,  the 
centre  of  an  admiring  and  appreciative  group,  to 
whom  he  related  thrilling  adventures  which  were 
his  own  experience  as  a  sailor  and  a  surfman, 
holding  his  audience  spell-bound,  not  only  by 
their  interest  in  the  subject,  but  also  by  his  quaint 
and  simple  manner  of  telling. 

Among  this  audience  one  day,  were  the  two  boys 
who  had  been  present  at  the  theatre  on  the  night 


232  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

when  the  captain  had  made  such  an  exhibition  of 
himself;  and  they  recognized  him  at  once.  Of 
course,  it  was  soon  spread  about  that  he  was  the 
hero  of  that  adventure ;  and  the  next  morning  at 
school,  Jim  was  asked  if  he  had  not  known  it. 
Acknowledging  this,  it  was  then  inquired  why  he 
had  not  "got  even  with  Theodore,"  by  turning 
the  laugh  on  him,  and  telling  that  it  was  his 
grandfather  who  had  made  himself  a  laughing 
stock. 

" '  Cause  I  wasn't  goin'  back  on  the  old  cap 
tain,"  answered  sturdy,  loyal  Jim.  "  He's  stood 
up  for  me,  an'  been  a  good  friend ;  an'  I  ain't  goin' 
to  point  him  out  for  to  be  laughed  at,  not  if  he  is 
Theodore's  grandfather." 

He  expected  to  be  laughed  at  in  his  turn,  and 
stood  with  defiance  and  "  laugh  if  you  choose  "  in 
his  air. 

But  no  one  laughed  or  jeered  :  somehow  his 
steadfastness  struck  a  chord  in  most  of  those  boy 
ish  hearts  ;  and  Rob  Stevens,  clapping  him  on 
the  shoulder,  exclaimed,  — 

"And  'tain't  the  first  time  he's  held  his  tongue, 
either,  is  it,  Peanuts  ?  We'll  all  vote  for  the 
feller  that  Stan's  by  his  friends  an'  don't  go  back 
on  'em.  Three  cheers  for  President  Jim  Wash 
ington!" 

And  if  a  voice  there  was  silent,  save  Theodore 
Yorke's,  it  was  not  noticed  in  the  number  which 
responded. 


FIVE  DOLLARS.  233 

School-life  having  by  this  time  rubbed  off  some 
of  his  freshness,  Jim  had  learned  that  it  would  be 
to  his  own  advantage  to  discard  several  from  the 
string  of  names  which  he  had  seen  fit  to  adopt  on 
his  entrance ;  and  he  now  contented  himself  with 
signing  his  name  James  R.  L.  Washington,  which 
appeared  upon  all  his  books  and  any  thing  else  to 
which  he  could  lay  claim. 

After  the  manner  of  those  who  have  fixed  their 
minds  upon  that  to  which  they  have  no  right,  the 
more  the  unprincipled  Theodore  thought  of  the 
mint  of  money,  as  he  called  it,  upon  Matty's  head, 
the  more  he  wished  that  he  could  find  the  means 
to  possess  himself  of  the  material  to  be  so  easily 
turned  into  that  money ;  and  he  finally  arranged 
a  plan  which  he  thought  both  practicable  and  safe. 

"  Matildy  Jane,"  whose  theory  it  was  that  there 
were  no  articles  of  diet  in  New  York  "  fit  for 
plain  folks  to  eat,"  and  who  believed  that  her 
father  and  mother  would  return  home  only  to  die 
victims  to  indigestion  brought  on  by  high  living, 
had  sent,  by  the  hands  of  a  friend  who  came  to 
the  city,  a  large  basket  of  apple  turnovers  and 
ginger  cookies,  in  order  that  her  parents  might 
have  "a  taste  of  home  cookin'." 

Slyly  possessing  himself  of  two  of  these  turn 
overs  and  sundry  cookies,  Theodore  thought  to 
make  his  peace  with  Tony  and  Matty  by  bestow 
ing  them  upon  them,  as  an  equivalent  for  the 
stolen  peanuts ;  and  having  ascertained  when 


234  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

Dutch  Johnny  was  off  on  another  purchasing 
expedition,  and  Tony  left  in  charge,  he  hurried 
home,  and  came  back  to  the  florist's  shop  with 
these  delectable  viands.  « 

No  sooner  did  Tony  see  him  than  he  warned 
him  off,  threatening  to  call  the  police  if  Theodore 
came  any  nearer;  but  the  latter  hastened  to  pro 
pitiate  him  by  holding  up  the  turnovers  and 
saying,  — 

"  Oh,  I  came  to  make  up.     Don't  make  a  row." 

Now,  if  there  was  any  thing  in  which  the  soul 
of  Tony  delighted,  it  was  an  apple  pasty  of  any 
shape  or  dimensions  ;  and  the  tempter  had  unwit 
tingly  chosen  his  bait  well. 

Tony's  threats  and  denunciations  ceased,  and 
he  sat  staring  at  the  proffered  treat ;  while  Theo 
dore,  seeing  it  was  taking  effect,  drew  a  few  steps 
nearer. 

"  Don't  you  want  'em  ? "  he  said.  "  I've  got  one 
for  you,  and  one  for  Matty ;  and  I've  got  some 
ginger-cakes,  too." 

Warned  by  past  experience,  Tony  grasped  his 
crutches,  and,  still  expecting  some  trick,  sat  dubi 
ous,  with  his  eyes  fixed  as  if  fascinated  upon  the 
coveted  dainties,  but  still  more  than  half  inclined 
to  call  to  the  policeman,  whom  he  saw  upon  the 
upper  corner. 

"  Oh,  come  now  !  "  repeated  Theodore  ;  "make 
up.  Don't  you  want  'em  ?  They're  first-rate." 

The  temptation  proved  irresistible ;  and,  rising 


FIVE  DOLLARS.  235 

to  his  feet,  Tony  went  toward  his  whilom  antag 
onist  in  order  to  prevent  him  from  coming  too 
near  the  stand,  accepted  one  of  the  turnovers, 
looked  at  it  on  all  sides,  smelled  of  it,  and  finally 
set  his  teeth  deliberately  but  with  caution  into  it ; 
then  turned,  and  looked  inquiringly  at  Matty. 

"  Pisen  !  "  uttered  that  little  sceptic,  still  uncon 
vinced  that  treachery  did  not  lurk  behind  these 
demonstrations  of  friendship. 

Ay,  poison  indeed  !  but  not  in  the  sense  poor 
Matty  meant.  Nor  would  she  accept  the  other 
turnover  or  the  ginger-cakes,  or  look  at  or  speak 
to  Theodore  ;  but  sat  gazing  afar  off  as  if  into  va 
cancy,  her  face  perfectly  expressionless,  although 
Tony,  now  completely  won  over,  sat  eating  his 
with  the  utmost  gusto. 

Meanwhile  Theodore,  having  turned  over  the 
whole  contents  of  his  pockets,  talked  in  a  friendly 
way,  leading  gradually  up  to  the  matter  in  his 
mind  ;  although  he  was  afraid  to  linger  long,  lest 
Johnny  should  return,  or  some  one  come  by  who 
would  wonder  at  seeing  amicable  relations  estab 
lished  between  himself  and  Tony. 

"  Been  makin'  good  sales  to-day  ?  "  he  asked  at 
length ;  but  this  put  Tony  on  his  guard  again 
at  once. 

"  Now  you  let  peanuts  alone  ;  they  ain't  none  of 
your  business,"  he  said,  his  mouth  full  of  ginger- 
cake. 

"  I  ain't  goin'  to  touch  your  peanuts,"  said  the 


236  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

older  boy.  "I  just  asked.  Jim's  makin'  an  un 
common  good  thing  out  of  this  peanut-stand  with 
you  and  Matty  to  run  it  for  him,  an'  I  hear  you're 
doin'  first-rate.  But  — don't  I  know  something 
about  Jim ! " 

"  So  do  I,  lots,"  answered  Tony,  as  well  as  he 
cou]d  speak. 

"You  don't  know  what  I  know;  and  Jim 
wouldn't  want  you  to,"  said  the  bad  boy.  "It's 
his  secret,  and  a  monstrous  one,  too ;  but  I  know 
it,  and  I'm  goin'  to  tell  it,  too." 

"I  sha'n't  listen  to  it,"  said  Tony. 

"  Ho !  I  don't  want  you  to.  It's  not  you  I  mean 
to  tell,"  said  Theodore.  "  It's  the  police." 

"Jim  ain't  done  nothin'  for  the  perlice,"  said 
Tony  furiously.  "The  perlice  likes  him,  an' 
wouldn't  do  nothin'  to  him." 

"Ha!  You  wait  and  see,"  said  Theodore; 
"they've  got  to  when  I  tell  'em.  It's  a  secret  on 
Jim  an'  one  of  his  young  ladies,  Miss  Amy  there, 
that  gives  Matty  her  clo's  an'  things.  He'll  feel 
awful  to  have  himself  an'  Miss  Amy  told  on,  and 
the  police  will  go  for  'em  when  they  know  it ;  but 
nothin'  ain't  goin'  to  put  me  off  talkin'  without  I 
was  paid  for  it,  as  much  as  five  dollars,  too." 

"What  they  done?"  asked  Tony,  curiosity  and 
alarm  for  his  friends  getting  the  better  of  his  aver 
sion  to  discuss  the  subject  with  Theodore. 

Theodore  came  nearer,  and  making  Tony  prom 
ise  with  the  most  solemn  asseverations  that  he 


FIVE  DOLLARS. 


would  not  repeat,  and  would  not  suffer  Matty  to 
repeat,  to  any  one,  what  he  told  hirn,  said,  — 

"  They  had  some  poisoning  done,  round  to  Mr. 
Livingstone's,  an'  Jim  and  Miss  Amy  was  mixed 
up  in  it.  They  did  the  poisoning  ;  but  'twas  found 
out  in  time,  an'  their  folks  hushed  it  up.  But  7 
know  it,  an'  I'm  goin'  to  set  the  police  on  them 
unless  some  one  would  make  it  worth  my  while 
not  to.  Five  dollars  would  buy  me  off  ;  but  there's 
no  one  I  know  of,  would  give  me  five  dollars,  so 
I'm  goin'  to  tell." 

Street  Arab  though  he  was,  with  his  wits  sharp 
ened  into  preternatural  acuteness  in  some  respects, 
in  others  Tony  was  guileless  and  easily  imposed 
upon  ;  and  for  a  moment  he  stared  at  Theodore 
in  dismay,  but  presently  doubt  and  suspicion  again 
obtained  the  upper  hand. 

"I  don't  take  no  stock  in  that,"  he  said;  "it's 
a  lie,  I  know.  I'll  ask  Jim  himself." 

"  If  you  let  on  to  him  what  I've  told  you,  I'll 
tell  the  police  for  certain,  whether  or  no,"  said 
Theodore  ;  "  but  if  anybody  was  to  say  they'd  give 
me  five  dollars,  an'  you  don't  tell  Jim,  I'll  never 
say  a  word." 

And  he  walked  away,  leaving  his  words  to  take 
what  effect  they  might.  That  they  had  already 
taken  effect,  he  saw,  as  Matty,  who  had  not  spoken 
a  word  all  this  time,  drew  the  beautiful,  shining 
tresses  in  front  of  her,  and  passed  her  skinny 
little  hands  lovingly  over  them.  Tony  stood 


238  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

staring  stupidly  after  him  for  a  moment,  then  burst 
out  at  him  with  a  torrent  of  abuse  and  threats 
which  Theodore  did  not  deign  to  answer. 

That  evening  about  dusk,  when  Tony  and  Matty 
came  to  our  house  to  render  up  the  day's  account 
to  Jim,  after  they  had  settled  business,  Tony 
asked  in  a  mysterious  whisper,  and  half  as  if  he 
feared  to  put  the  question,  — 

"Jim,  tell  us;  has  you  got  a  secret  you  don't 
want  any  one  to  know  ?  " 

By  the  light  of  the  gas-jet,  beneath  which  they 
stood,  in  the  basement  hall,  Tony  saw  the  color 
rush  in  a  flood  to  Jim's  face,  and  an  angry  light 
came  into  his  eye,  as  he  answered  roughly,  — 

"'Tain't  none  of  your  business  if  I  have;  you 
let  my  secrets  alone." 

Tony  was  a  little  frightened,  but  he  persisted, — 

"  But  tell  us  ;  did  you  and  yer  young  lady,  her 
what's  good  to  us,  did  you  once  get  mixed  up  wid 
pisenin'  some  folks,  an'  it  was  kept  dark  so's  the  "  • 

"  Now  you  shut  up  an'  clear  out  quick,  you  little 
rascal ! "  shouted  Jim  furiously.  "  If  you  come 
Paul  Pryin'  round  here,  a-tryin'  to  find  out  my 
secrets,  me  an'  you  will  fall  out,  an'  you'll  get  no 
more  help  from  Miss  Amy  nor  me.  Clear !  " 

But  Tony,  alas  !  was  answered  ;  and  the  crest- 
fallen  little  cripple  shuffled  out  from  the  presence 
of  the  offended  head  of  the  peanut  firm  as  fast  as 
possible  ;  Jim  putting  his  head  out  of  the  door, 
and  shouting  after  them,  still  in  the  most  irate 
tones, — 


FIVE  DOLLARS. 


239 


"  Now  you  let  me  an'  Miss  Amy  an'  all  my  folks 
alone,  or  there'll  be  trouble,  sure  !  "  then  slammed 
the  door  after  them. 

In  silence  they  went  up  the  street,  but  not  im 
mediately  home  :  they  had  other  business  to  attend 
to  first. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


CAUGHT  IN  THE  ACT. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

CAUGHT    IN    THE   ACT. 

JOHNNY  PETERSEN  looked  in  surprise,  conster 
nation,  and  wrath  when  the  two  little  cripples 
entered  his  shop  the  next  morning,  shamefaced 
and  sheepish,  as  if  they  expected  to  be  called  to 
account  for  something. 

And  he  did  not  lose  time  in  making  known  the 
cause  of  his  displeasure,  could  they,  indeed,  have 
had  any  doubt  on  that  question. 

Matty's  hair  was  gone,  cut  close  to  her  head, 
almost  shaved  off ;  and  the  loss  of  it  gave  the 
poor  little  face  a  more  wizened,  pinched,  and 
unnatural  expression  than  ever.  The  effect  was 
perfectly  startling,  and  repulsive  in  the  extreme ; 
and  after  staring  at  the  child  for  a  moment,  and 
all  but  dropping  the  flower-pot  he  held  in  his 
hands,  he  broke  forth  into  a  torrent  of  words, 
mingling  German  and  broken  English  in  a  manner 
which  made  them  all  but  incomprehensible  to  the 
poor  little  ones.  But  they  knew  well  enough  what 
brought  them  forth,  and  they  had  no  explanation 
to  offer.  It  was  their  secret,  and  must  remain  a 

243 


244  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

secret,  so  they  thought,  if  the  sacrifice  were  to 
be  worth  any  thing. 

Naturally,  Johnny  laid  the  blame  of  the  trans 
formation  on  the  debased  parents,  whom  he  knew 
to  be  capable  of  any  deed,  no  matter  how  shame 
ful  or  cruel,  if  thereby  they  could  obtain  the 
means  to  procure  liquor.  Tony  and  Matty  gath 
ered,  from  the  jargon  which  he  sputtered  forth, 
that  this  was  his  idea  ;  and  they  were  quite  satis 
fied  to  have  it  so,  for  no  sentiments  of  filial 
affection  moved  them  to  enlighten  him. 

And  it  was  not  only  the  loss  of  that  wealth  of 
hair  which  made  Matty  look  far  worse  than  she 
had  ever  done  before.  She  had  not  on  the  decent 
garments  she  had  worn  for  some  time  past,  but 
was  in  the  ragged  and  soiled  clothes  which  she 
had  of  late  worn  only  when  she  went  home  at 
night,  discarding  them  in  the  morning  when  she 
stopped  at  Mrs.  Petersen's  and  put  on  the  better 
ones  which  had  been  given  to  her.  To  all  Peter- 
sen's  questions  she  opposed  a  sullen  silence; 
although  she  hung  her  head,  and  appeared 
embarrassed,  which  she  was  not  apt  to  be. 

But  Tony,  with  his  jolly  little  face  clouded  over, 
appeared  really  distressed,  and  looked  from  his 
sister  to  the  florist  and  back  again  in  a  distraught, 
helpless  sort  of  way,  which  quite  touched  the 
heart  of  the  kind  old  Dutchman  ;  but  neither 
from  him  could  Johnny's  rather  incoherent  ques 
tions  draw  forth  any  satisfaction,  and  the  children 


CAUGHT  IN  THE  ACT.  24$ 

both  were  glad  when  the  entrance  of  a  customer 
drew  Johnny's  attention  for  the  time  from 
themselves. 

But  the  situation  did  not  improve  for  the  two 
little  unfortunates  when  Mrs.  Petersen,  uneasy 
that  they  had  not  appeared  at  her  rooms  for  the 
usual  change  of  clothing,  came  bustling  up  to 
know  if  her  husband  could  tell  her  any  thing  of 
them  ;  and,  not  a  little  astonished  to  find  Matty 
at  her  post  and  Tony  also  at  his,  plied  them  anew 
with  questions  in  English  rather  better  than  her 
husband's,  and  to  which  it  was  more  difficult  to 
avoid  giving  straightforward  replies.  But  she 
gained  as  little  as  he  had  done,  and  she,  too,  took 
it  for  granted  that  either  the  father  or  mother 
had  deprived  the  little  hunchback  of  her  hair. 

The  truth  was,  that  the  children  had  not  cared 
to  face  her  with  the  change  in  Matty's  appear 
ance,  and  hence  had  concluded  to  come  to  the 
day's  business  in  their  old  clothes. 

But  Mrs.  Petersen,  energetic  and  stirring,  was 
not  going  to  let  the  matter  rest  thus,  but  was 
determined  to  probe  it  to  the  bottom  if  possible, 
and  declared  that  she  was  going  at  once  to  see 
the  mother,  and  call  her  to  account.  Whether 
she  had  some  vague  idea  of  bringing  the  supposed 
offenders  to  justice,  or  of  restoring  the  lost  locks 
to  Matty,  I  cannot  tell  ;  but  just  as  she  was  leav 
ing,  Milly,  Bessie,  and  I,  bound  for  an  early  trip 
to  spend  the  day  with  a  friend  in  the  country, 


246  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

whose  birthday  it   was,   came   into   the   shop   to 
purchase  some  flowers. 

The  morning  was  damp  and  chilly,  although 
there  was  the  promise  of  a  fair  day  later  on ;  and 
Matty's  stand  was  placed  inside  when  we  entered 
the  shop,  and  the  first  thing  our  eyes  rested  upon 
was  Matty's  shorn  head.  We  all  three  leaped  at 
once  to  the  same  conclusion  with  the  Petersens. 
But  whether  it  was  that  I  was  more  forcibly  struck 
than  the  others  with  the  cruelty  of  the  thing,  from 
having  something  of  a  fellow-feeling  for  Matty  in 
the  possession  of  a  profuse  quantity  of  hair  some 
what  like  her  own,  although,  as  she  had  said,  hers 
had  been  "purtier"  than  mine,  despite  the  lack 
of  the  care  which  mine  had  always  received,  or  that 
I  had  less  self-control  over  my  emotions ;  certain 
it  is  that  I  burst  into  a  passion  of  tears  and  sobs, 
which  astonished  not  only  the  good  florist  and  his 
wife,  but  also  my  own  sister  and  friend.  I  was 
ashamed  of  them,  but  could  not  control  them  ; 
and  perhaps  it  was  as  well  that  I  could  not  do  so 
immediately,  for 'those  tears  made  their  way  where 
all  else  had  failed  to  effect  an  entrance;  and,  to 
my  great  astonishment,  Matty  seized  with  both 
her  hands  upon  mine,  which  in  my  great  pity  and 
sympathy  I  had  laid  upon  her  shoulder,  and,  carry 
ing  it  to  her  face,  laid  her  cheek  upon  it.  The 
next  instant  she  dropped  it,  and  sat  looking  down 
with  the  same  stolid  expression  that  she  ordinarily 
wore.  Indeed,  it  had  hardly  changed  even  at  the 


CAUGHT  IN  THE  ACT.  247 

moment  of  that  most  unusual  demonstration,  for 
no  trace  of  any  emotion  had  been  visible  on  the 
worn,  old  little  face. 

Tony  was  delighted,  as  pleased  as  though  his 
sister  had  given  evidence  of  some  wonderful 
talent,  or  performed  some  heroic  action. 

"  She  likes  ye,  miss,"  he  exclaimed,  "  an'  I 
allus  knowed  she  did,  though  she  wouldn't  let  on. 
She  likes  ye  fust-rate,  though  she  wor  kinder  back- 
'ard  'bout  lettin'  on.  Now  don't  ye  like  the  lady, 
Matty?  If  she  hadn't  liked  ye  lots,  miss,  she 
wouldn't  er  "  —  Here  he  checked  himself  with  a 
frightened,  embarrassed  look,  and  rushing  out  of 
the  little  store,  applied  himself  vigorously  to  the 
turning  of  his  empty,  fireless  peanut-roaster. 

But  not  a  word,  and  not  another  token  of  any 
thing  like  feeling,  was  to  be  drawn  from  Matty. 
The  rock  had  hardened  again,  and  to  all  appear 
ances  no  softening  influences  could  be  brought  to 
bear  upon  it.  It  was  not  until  Mrs.  Petersen 
again  expressed  her  positive  intention  of  going  to 
call  the  elder  Blairs  to  account,  and  was  about 
to  start  off  for  that  purpose,  that  the  child  roused 
herself  again,  and  turned,  with  something  of  ap 
prehension  in  her  expression,  to  look  for  Tony, 
who,  having  discovered  that  he  was  working  aim 
lessly,  was  making  ready  to  kindle  his  charcoal 
and  fill  his  roaster. 

"  I  go  to  dat  mutter  an'  fader ;  I  gif  dem  some 
pieces  of  my  mi-int,"  said  Mrs.  Petersen,  as 


248  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

she  turned  toward  the  door ;  but  Milly  stopped 
her. 

"  Do  not,  please,  Mrs.  Petersen,"  she  said,  in  a 
tone  too  low  to  reach  Matty's  ear.  "  It  will  only 
make  trouble  for  yourself  and  us.  We  cannot 
give  poor  Matty  back  her  beautiful  hair ;  and  if 
you  vex  those  dreadful  people,  it  will  only  put 
fresh  difficulties  in  the  way  of  persuading  them  to 
give  up  the  children." 

"I  tell  dem  my  mi-int,"  persisted  Mrs.  Peter- 
sen  ;  but  finally  she  was  persuaded  to  listen  to 
reason  and  to  satisfy  herself  with  relieving  her 
"mi-int." 

My  idea  had  been  to  induce  Mrs.  Petersen  and 
Johnny  —  or  Mrs.  Petersen  rather,  for  Johnny  was 
sure  to  follow  her  lead,  to  take  Matty  and  Tony 
under  their  care,  and  give  them  a  home.  Cousin 
Serena  had  offered  to  furnish  the  means  for  Tony's 
support,  and  I  to  do  the  same  for  Matty.  But  the 
florist  and  his  wife  had  been  unwilling  to  under 
take  the  charge,  even  if  the  parents  could  be 
bribed  to  give  up  the  children,  lest  they  should 
be  exposed  to  trouble  in  the  future ;  therefore  the 
Blairs  had  not  yet  been  approached  on  the  subject. 
I  was  for  taking  high-handed  measures,  and  having 
the  children  separated  from  them  on  the  ground 
of  neglect  and  cruelty  ;  but  wiser  and  less  impul 
sive  heads  than  mine  had  decided  that  there  was 
hardly  sufficient  reason  for  this,  and  I  had  been 
obliged  to  restrain  my  impatience  and  content 


CAUGHT  IN  THE  ACT.  249 

myself  with  such  alleviations  of  their  lot  as  I  could 
compass  at  present.  I  am  not  patient  by  nature, 
and  could  not  bear  to  have  any  delay  or  hinder- 
ances  put  in  the  way  of  my  schemes  for  the  benefit 
of  those  children,  and  in  secret  I  chafed  a  little 
over  this. 

It  will  readily  be  surmised  what  had  become  of 
Matty's  hair. 

Doubting  the  truth  of  Theodore's  story,  and  yet 
fearing  that  there  might  be  some  foundation  for 
it,  Tony  had  confided  to  his  sister  that  he  meant 
to  ask  Jim  about  it,  notwithstanding  Theodore's 
warning  to  beware  how  he  did  so.  Jim's  anger  at 
the  questions  he  had  put,  especially  at  that  regard 
ing  the  "  poisoning,"  had  been  enough  to  convince 
him  that  it  was  all  true.  Jim  had  a  secret  which 
he  was  afraid  to  have  known ;  and  that  secret 
could  be  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the  alleged 
poisoning,  which  he  plainly  could  not  or  would 
not  deny ;  and  which,  according  to  ignorant  little 
Tony's  ideas,  he  was  afraid  to  have  come  to  the 
ears  of  the  police.  Theodore  had  learned  of  that 
unfortunate  occurrence  —  as  we  heard  later  when 
all  this  came  to  light  —  through  the  medium  of  a 
stray  copy  of  the  objectionable  paper  containing 
the  paragraph  before  referred  to.  This  he  had 
happened  to  read  to  his  grandfather  and  grand 
mother,  who,  proud  of  his  ability  to  do  this  far 
better  than  they  could  do  it  for  themselves — for 
reading  with  Captain  and  Mrs.  Yorke  was  a  work 


25O  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

of  time  and  difficulty,  involving  more  pains-taking 
than  pleasure  —  often  set  him  to  amuse  them  in 
this  way  in  the  evening. 

"  Madison  Avenue  "  to  Captain  Yorke  was  com 
prised  in  the  block  on  which  our  house  was 
situated ;  and  the  curiosity  of  the  old  man  being 
insatiable,  he  had  never  rested  until  he  had  located 
the  house.  By  dint  of  questioning  Thomas  and 
the  other  servants,  he  soon  learned  all  there  was 
to  know,  and  was  greatly  excited  and  very  wrathy 
when  he  heard  the  truth.  He  repeated  this  to 
his  wife  and  grandson,  bidding  them  never  to  say 
a  word  about  it,  as  the  family  had  been  much 
annoyed  and  displeased.  Theodore,  however,  had 
once  ventured  to  ask  Jim  about  the  matter,  and 
had  been  met  by  such  a  burst  of  fury  that  he 
had  never  ventured  to  speak  of  it  again  to  him. 
Not  for  fear  of  offending  Jim,  however,  but  because 
he  dreaded  the  anger  of  his  grandfather,  should  Jim 
complain,  as  he  threatened  to  do,  to  the  old  man ; 
for  Jim  would  have  told  in  this  case  on  my  account. 

But  it  answered  Theodore's  purpose  when  he  set 
himself  to  work  to  devise  means  to  obtain  the  five 
dollars  he  coveted.  He  had  aroused  the  fears  of 
these  ignorant  children  for  those  who  had  been 
kind  to  them,  and  having  been  convinced  by  Jim's 
behavior  that  it  was  all  true,  Tony  had  proposed 
what  indeed  had  been  in  Matty's  mind  before,  that 
she  should  sell  her  hair,  and  so  buy  Theodore's 
silence.  Matty  had  agreed;  and  that  morning, 


CAUGHT  IN  THE  ACT. 


before  they  had  made  their  appearance  at  the 
florist's,  they  had  gone  to  a  barber's,  and,  with 
small  worldly  wisdom,  Tony  had  demanded  if  he 
would  give  five  dollars  for  Matty's  hair. 

Gazing  with  astonishment  and  delight  at  the 
mine  of  wealth  displayed  for  his  approbation,  the 
barber  drew  the  long  silky  tresses  through  his 
fingers,  and  closed  the  bargain  at  once,  as  well  he 
might,  supposing  him  to  be  possessed  of  neither 
heart  nor  conscience.  Matty's  head  was  expe- 
ditiously  shorn,  and  the  proceeds  of  the  unright 
eous  sale  were  put  into  Tony's  hands  ;  for  he  had 
appeared  as  the  speaking  partner  throughout  the 
transaction,  Matty  maintaining  the  usual  impas 
sive,  sullen  silence,  so  seldom  broken  save  for  her 
brother  and  the  Petersens. 

The  next  thing  to  do  was  to  see  Theodore  and 
to  hand  him  the  money  ;  and  being  in  haste  to  do 
this  before  he  should  have  time  to  give  the  dreaded 
information  to  the  police,  Tony  went  to  the  board 
ing-place  which  was  his  home  at  present,  Matty 
waiting  for  her  brother  on  the  neighboring  corner, 
and  asked  for  Theodore. 

Now,  this  proceeding,  as  it  proved,  brought 
swift  detection  and  punishment  upon  the  young 
blackmailer. 

Theodore  had  not  remembered  to  guard  against 
the  children  coming  to  the  house  ;  indeed,  he  had 
not  thought  of  his  rascally  scheme  bearing  fruit  at 
all  so  soon. 


252  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

Happily  for  the  frustration  of  that  scheme, 
Theodore  was  out,  having  been  sent  on  an  errand 
by  his  grandfather ;  and  the  old  captain  himself, 
who  was  lounging  on  the  front  steps,  was  the  one 
who  first  met  the  lame  boy.  Tony,  who  was  not 
able  to  read  numbers,  had  not  been  quite  sure  of 
his  ground  in  the  row  of  houses  all  so  much  alike ; 
but  he  had  no  further  doubt  when  he  saw  Captain 
Yorke. 

At  first  he  drew  back,  uncertain  whether  to 
make  it  known  that  his  business  was  with  Theo 
dore  ;  but  his  fear  that  his  tormentor  would  "tell 
the  perlice  "  before  he  had  the  opportunity  to  quiet 
him  was  too  strong  for  his  caution,  and  he  asked 
the  captain  if  Theodore  was  "to  home." 

"  No,  he  ain't ;  an'  what  ye  want  with  Theo 
dore,  sonny  ?  "  asked  the  captain. 

Tony  hesitated  and  fidgeted  ;  and  the  old  man 
asked  sharply  and  quickly,  "He  ain't  been  hookin' 
your  peanuts  agin  ? " 

"No — o,"  stammered  Tony;  and  the  captain, 
coming  down  the  steps  to  where  the  boy  stood, 
laid  his  hand  upon  his  shoulder,  and  said  stern 
ly, —  although  the  sternness  was  not  for  the 
cripple,  — 

"Ef  he's  touched  another  peanut,  or  been 
a-wrongin'  of  ye  any  way,  tell  me,  —  tell  me  right 
off.  What  is  it  ?  " 

But  Tony  dared  not  tell ;  and  the  honest  old 
seaman,  whose  confidence  in  his  grandson  had 


CAUGHT  IN  THE  ACT.  2$$ 

never  been  fully  restored,  was  convinced  that  he 
had  been  about  some  of  his  evil  ways  again.  He 
could  do  nothing  with  Tony,  however ;  no  persua 
sions  could  avail  to  draw  any  explanation  from 
him  ;  and  he  presently  made  his  escape,  hobbling 
down  the  street  with  the  marvellous  celerity  with 
which  he  used  his  crutches,  leaving  the  captain 
a  prey  to  disquietude  and  apprehension. 

Nor  had  he  hope  of  obtaining  any  thing  like  the 
truth  from  Theodore  himself :  so  he  asked  him  no 
questions  when  he  returned,  nor  did  he  tell  him 
that  Tony  had  come  to  ask  for  him,  but,  after 
taking  counsel  with  himself,  resolved  to  see 
Johnny  Petersen,  and  tell  him  to  be  on  the 
watch ;  and  soon  after  we  had  left  the  florist's, 
he  appeared  there. 

Tony  saw  the  old  Brutus  coming  down  the  street, 
stern  and  determined  of  aspect,  trouble  in  every 
line  of  his  weather-beaten  countenance,  and  sup 
posed  himself  to  be  his  objective  point.  Dread 
ing  further  catechism,  and  not  being  willing  to 
encounter  it,  he  dropped  the  crank  of  the  peanut- 
roaster,  and  was  off  again  before  the  captain  was 
near  enough  to  speak.  Johnny  could  tell  nothing, 
he  thought,  save  that  Matty's  hair  was  gone, 
which  the  old  man  could  not  fail  to  see  for  himself  ; 
and  his  sister,  he  well  knew,  would  not  speak. 
For  a  moment  he  thought  he  would  seize  his 
opportunity,  and  hasten  back  to  the  house  while 
Captain  Yorke  was  away,  and  hand  Theodore  the 


254  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

five  dollars  ;  but  he  recollected  that  the  oppressor 
would  be  at  school,  and  so  this  would  be  useless. 
From  a  safe  distance  he  watched  for  the  captain's 
departure,  and  did  not  venture  near  his  post  till  he 
saw  him  come  out  and  walk  away. 

As  he  had  foreseen,  not  a  word  could  either 
Captain  Yorke  or  the  florist  draw  from  Matty, 
when  the  former  had  made  known  the  purpose  of 
his  coming ;  and  they  both  questioned  her  closely. 
One  might  have  thought  that  she  was  utterly  deaf 
and  dumb  as  she  sat  opposing  that  stolid,  deter 
mined  silence  to  all  they  said.  Johnny  knew  noth 
ing  which  could  throw  any  light  on  the  subject; 
and  after  telling  him  of  Tony's  embarrassment, 
and  bidding  him  be  on  the  watch,  the  heavy- 
hearted  old  man  left  the  little  shop. 

Johnny  did  keep  on  the  watch,  but  refrained 
from  asking  Tony  any  questions,  keeping  his  eye 
upon  him,  however ;  but  no  further  developments 
appeared  until  later  in  the  day,  when  he  saw 
Theodore  coming  down  the  other  side  of  the 
avenue,  and  observed  that  Tony  raised  a  warning 
finger  to  him  as  if  to  bid  him  keep  his  distance. 
Theodore  paused  on  the  opposite  corner,  and  Tony 
went  over  to  meet  him. 

Considerations  of  delicacy  did  not  withhold 
Johnny  from  intruding  upon  what  was  evidently 
meant  to  be  a  private  interview  ;  and  when,  after 
a  moment's  converse,  Tony  put  his  hand  in  his 
pocket,  and  drew  forth  something  which  he  gave 


CAUGHT  IN  THE  ACT.  255 

to  Theodore,  the  florist  darted  from  his  shop,  and 
rushed  across  the  street  with  an  agility  which  was 
hardly  to  be  expected  from  one  of  his  years  and 
girth. 

Theodore  saw  him  coming,  and  his  guilty  con 
science  leaped  to  the  truth ;  Johnny  suspected 
something  wrong,  and  was  coming  to  accuse 
him. 

Closing  his  hand  tightly  on  the  prize  which  he 
had  just  received  from  his  victim,  he  turned,  and 
started  to  run.  But  an  avenging  Nemesis,  in  the 
shape  of  a  piece  of  orange-peel,  was  behind  him  ; 
his  foot  slipped  upon  it,  and  he  came  heavily  to  the 
ground.  Before  he  could  rise,  the  florist  precipi 
tated  himself  upon  him  with  so  much  momentum, 
that  he  too  lost  his  balance,  and  fell  flat  upon  the 
boy.  Not  one  whit  disturbed  was  Johnny,  how 
ever,  by  the  fear  that  he  might  have  injured  his 
prisoner,  although  he  had  half  knocked  the  breath 
from  the  boy's  body ;  on  the  contrary,  he  would,  I 
think,  have  been  quite  pleased  to  know  that  Theo 
dore  was  seriously  bruised. 

Rising  with  some  difficulty,  and  not  without 
assistance  from  a  passer-by  who  had  seen  the 
catastrophe,  puffing  and  panting,  but  still  retaining 
the  hold  he  had  taken  of  Theodore's  collar,  he 
hauled  the  boy  to  his  feet,  and,  regardless  of  the 
punishment  he  had  already  inflicted,  gave  him  a 
hard  cuff  upon  the  ear,  saying,  — 

"  You  runs  away  from  me,  will  you  ?     I  learns 


2$6  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

you,  my  poy,  you  shtays  ven  I  vants  to  shpeak 
mit  you." 

Supposing  from  this  authoritative  address  that 
he  was  the  father  of  the  boy  who  had  been  guilty 
of  some  wrong,  the  man  who  had  helped  him 
passed  on  his  way,  leaving  him  to  deal  with  the 
culprit  as  he  saw  fit.  And  Johnny  saw  fit  to 
handle  him  with  any  thing  but  gentleness,  pushing 
him  before  him  across  the  street,  and  into  the 
shop,  giving  him  now  and  then  a  vicious  shake, 
diversifying  this  with  an  occasional  punch  in  the 
back  with  the  fist  of  the  disengaged  hand.  Had 
they  had  any  distance  to  go,  they  would  probably 
have  drawn  a  crowd  after  them ;  as  it  was,  they 
reached  Johnny's  quarters  without  attracting  any 
special  attention. 

"  Now,"  said  the  breathless  florist  when  he  had 
his  captive  safely  within  the  shelter  of  the  shop, 
"  now,  vat  is  your  pusiness  mit  Tony  ?  Tony  is 
my  scharge,  an'  I  don'  let  him  talks  mit  poys  what 
shteals  what  don'  pelongs  to  dem.  Vat  you  got 
here  ? " 

And  he  seized  the  tightly  closed  hand  contain 
ing  the  five  dollars,  which  Theodore  had  not  yet 
found  opportunity  to  conceal  in  a  safer  place. 
Theodore  resisted ;  but  he  was  no  match  for 
Petersen,  who  tripped  him  up  again  without  com 
punction,  and,  regardless  of  consequences  to  the 
surrounding  plants,  —  which  happily  came  to  no 
harm  in  the  struggle,  —  sat  upon  him,  and  opened 
his  hand  with  both  his  own. 


CAUGHT  IN  THE   ACT. 


Five  dollars  ! 

Johnny  was  not  a  particularly  brilliant  Dutch 
man,  and  his  mind  was  generally  slow  in  arriving 
at  any  conclusion  ;  but  the  two  and  two  which 
were  to  be  put  together  here  were  not  difficult  to 
compute  ;  and  as  he  looked  from  the  five-dollar 
bill  to  Matty's  shorn  head,  and  back  again,  he  was 
not  long  in  deciding  that  they  made  four.  Matty 
for  once  showed  some  sign  of  emotion  as  she  sat 
rubbing  her  hand  over  her  poor  little  head  in  a 
nervous  manner  ;  although  beyond  this,  and  the 
stare  with  which  she  regarded  the  combatants, 
she  showed  no  trace  of  interest  in  the  affair,  never 
once  opening  her  lips. 

"  So  !  "  said  the  florist,  holding  out  the  bill  at 
arm's  length,  —  "so!  How  is  dis  ?  You  put 
Matty's  head  to  de  schissors,  an'  take  him  all  off, 
und  you  shteal  den  her  monish.  De  peanuts 
is  a  pad  pisness  ;  but  dis  is  so  much  vorse  as 
it  goes  to  de  prison.  Tell  me,  Tony,  how  is 
dis  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  steal  it,  he  gave  it  to  me  ;  and  I 
didn't  touch  Matty's  hair,"  panted  the  prostrate 
Theodore.  "  He  —  he  —  he  wanted  me  to  do  some 
thing  for  him,  and  he  said  he  would  give  me  that 
if  I  did  it.  Oh  !  let  me  up  !  " 

"  Hole  your  mout,  and  shpeak  ven  you  is 
shpoken  mit,"  said  Johnny.  "Tony,  shpeak  an' 
tell  me.  How  vas  it  ?  You  is  cut  off  Matty's 
head  ;  you  is  got  de  monish,  five  tollars,  vat  I  tells 


UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 


you  he  is  vort  ;  now  tell  me  what  for  you  gifs  dis 
five  tollars  to  dis  pad  poy,  a  poy  so  vorse  as  I  do 
not  know.  I  vill  haf  you  tell  me  ;  if  no,  I  calls  de 
police." 

There  was  no  escape  ;  on  all  hands  Tony  saw 
visions  of  the  police,  who  would  soon  ferret  out 
the  whole  matter,  away  back  to  Miss  Amy  and 
Jim  (so  Tony  thought)  ;  and  he  found  it  best  to 
throw  himself  and  all  concerned  on  the  mercy  of 
his  old  friend,  and  make  a  full  confession. 

As  he  told  the  shameful  story  of  how  Theodore 
had  threatened  to  tell  Jim's  "  secret,"  and  to  let 
the  police  know  of  the  "  poisoning"  unless  some 
body  paid  him  five  dollars  to  keep  it  quiet  ;  of  the 
confirmation  he  had  himself  received  from  Jim's 
manner  and  words  when  he  asked  him  about  it  ; 
of  how  he  and  Matty  had  resolved  to  save  their 
friends  by  the  sacrifice  of  the  hair  which  Johnny 
himself  had  often  told  them  was  worth  so  much 
money  ;  of  how  they  had  gone  to  the  barber's,  and 
sold  the  hair  ;  and  lastly,  how  he,  seeing  Theodore 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  had  hurried 
over  to  bribe  him  with  the  five  dollars  to  hold  his 
peace,  and  how  Theodore  had  accepted  the  price, 
—  the  kind-hearted  florist  waxed  more  and  more 
angry  ;  and  when  he  rose,  and  once  more  hauled 
the  boy  to  his  feet,  it  was  only  to  seize  a  cane,  and 
administer  such  a  chastisement  as  the  culprit  had 
seldom  or  never  received. 

Theodore  made  little  or  no  outcry,  however,  for 


CAUGHT  IN  THE  ACT.  259 

he  was  afraid  of  attracting  attention  from  without, 
and  perhaps  himself  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
law ;  for  he  did  not  know,  if  his  deeds  were  once 
made  public,  how  far  he  might  be  under  the  ban 
of  that  authority. 

"  Now  you  go,"  said  Johnny,  when  at  last  he 
paused,  breathless  from  all  his  exertions,  and  with 
one  final  shake  released  his  captive ;  "  go  und  tell 
de  gran'fader  I  fin'  vat  is  de  matter  out,  und  I 
gifs  de  vorst  vips  as  I  could  gif  to  de  vorst  poy 
in  all  de  down,  und  so  I  safes  him  some  droubles. 
But  if  he  dinks  to  gif  you  some  more  of  de  same 
veesic,  I  dink  it  not  too  moosh.  For  clat  gran' 
fader,  I  says  notings  to  de  police  for  dis  time  ; 
bud  if  you  says  one  leetle  more  vord  apout  de 
young  lady  or  dat  goot  poy  Jim,  or  makes  afrait 
any  more  dese  schillens,  den  you  see  some  dings 
to  make  you  shtare.  Go,  go  !  " 

And  Theodore  stood  not  upon  the  order  of  his 
going. 

The  pleasure  of  the  day  with  our  friends  had 
been  much  marred  for  me  by  the  recollection  of 
the  shorn  head  of  my  forlorn  little  protegee  and 
the  repulsive  appearance  she  now  presented  ;  and 
I  was  more  than  ever  anxious  to  remove  her  from 
the  father  and  mother,  who,  I  thought,  had  treated 
her  so  unjustly  and  cruelly;  and  I  could  not  rec 
oncile  myself  to  the  idea  that  this  afforded  no 
grounds  for  my  taking  them  away. 

But  that  difficulty  was  presently  to  be  solved  in 


26O  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

the  most  satisfactory  way  to  those  who  had  at 
heart  the  welfare  of  the  crippled  children. 

•  Mother  had  occasion  to  send  Jim  upon  an 
errand  shortly  after  his  return  from  school  that 
afternoon  ;  and  he  found  it  convenient,  according 
to  his  usual  custom,  to  return  by  a  roundabout 
way,  and  stop  at  the  peanut-stand.  The  excite 
ment  in  Johnny's  small  establishment  had  hardly 
subsided  when  he  made  his  appearance,  and  it 
was  little  wonder  that  he  tarried  long  on  his 
errand ;  so  long,  indeed,  that  mother  rather  lost 
patience,  and  said  that  she  should  forbid  his 
stopping  at  his  favorite  haunt,  except  by  express 
permission,  if  this  occurred  again.  But  his  want 
of  punctuality  was  quite  forgiven  when  he  came 
in  with  the  tidings  which  he  bore. 

As  usual,  however,  when  any  question  arose 
of  Theodore's  want  of  principle,  or  any  instance 
of  it  was  shown,  there  was  something  in  Jim's 
manner  which  excited  the  attention  of  those  of  the 
household  under  whose  immediate  observation  he 
most  came ;  and  again  Milly  was  surprised  to  see 
how  wistful,  uneasy,  and  absolutely  nervous  he  was, 
appearing,  as  he  often  had  before,  as  if  there  were 
something  on  his  mind  which  he  wished  to  tell 
her,  but  which  he  could  not  muster  courage  to 
confess. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


MATTY    IS    PROVIDED    FOR. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

MATTY    IS    PROVIDED    FOR. 

"  OF  course,"  said  Uncle  Rutherford,  that 
evening  in  family  conclave,  "  this  business  settles 
the  question  of  that  scholarship  for  Theodore 
Yorke.  He  has  proved  himself  more  utterly 
without  principle  or  common  honesty,  than  I 
could  have  believed  possible  ;  and  while,  for  poor 
old  Yorke's  sake,  I  should  be  glad  to  give  him 
another  chance  of  redeeming  his  character,  I  do 
not  feel  that  the  boy  himself  is  worthy  of  it.  He 
is  radically  bad  and  vicious,  with  a  natural  leaning 
toward  deceit  and  dishonesty,  and  a  capacity  for 
crime  that  is  absolutely  startling,  or  he  never 
could  have  arranged  so  deliberate  a  plan  to 
obtain  money  from  these  poor  little  cripples.  It 
was  absolute  blackmailing;  and  the  Yorkes,  I 
fear,  have  sad  trouble  in  store  for  them  with  the 
boy.  All  the  better  for  your  protege,  Milly,  if  he 
continues  to  do  as  well  as  he  has  done  lately. 
That  fellow  is  in  earnest,  whatever  may  be  the 
aims  and  influences  which  control  him." 

"  I  think,"  said  aunt   Emily,  "  that  Mrs.  Yorke 
is  right,  and  that  it  would  be  best  both  for  the 

263 


264  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

captain  and  for  Theodore  to  go  home.  The  old 
man  keeps  her  in  a  constant  worry,  by  his  very 
innocence  and  simplicity,  which  are  so  easily 
imposed  upon  ;  and  it  will  be  far  better  for  that 
boy  to  be  where  he  is  not  surrounded  by  so  many 
temptations.  Do  you  not  think  so,  Nicholas  ? 
Better  for  him  to  be  in  his  quiet,  out-of-the-way 
home,  than  here,  where  there  are  so  many  induce 
ments  to  evil  for  a  boy  without  principle,  such  as 
has  certainly  proved  himself." 

Before  Uncle  Rutherford  had  time  either  to 
agree  or  dissent,  Thomas  announced  that  Captain 
Yorke  wished  to  see  Mr.  Rutherford  and  Mr. 
Livingstone,  and  was  told  to  show  the  old  man 
into  the  adjoining  library,  whither  papa  and  Uncle 
Rutherford  adjourned  to  see  him. 

But  through  the  half-drawn  portieres,  the  rest 
of  us  heard  all  that  passed ;  and,  indeed,  the  cap 
tain  was  not  reticent,  —  it  was  not  in  his  nature 
to  be,  —  and  he  would  have  been  quite  as  garru 
lous  in  the  presence  of  an  audience  of  any  size, 
provided  he  knew  all  his  hearers  to  be  friends. 
And  not  even  the  gravity  of  his  errand,  or  the 
subject  on  which  he  held  forth,  could  restrain 
him  from  the  various  deviations  and  wanderings 
to  which  he  was  prone  when  talking.  It  will  not 
be  necessary  to  repeat  all  these  here. 

The  old  man  had  gone  back  to  Johnny  Peter- 
sen's  just  as  the  florist  was  closing  his  shop  for 
the  night,  timing  his  second  visit  after  the  hour 


MATTY  IS  PROVIDED  FOR.  26$ 

at  which  he  knew  the  cripples  would  have  left, 
and  asked  Johnny  if  he  had  any  further  informa 
tion  for  him.  Johnny  was  not  inclined  to  talk, 
he  found,  and  tried  to  evade  his  questions  ;  but  he 
was  obliged  to  allow  that  Theodore  had  appeared 
again  ;  and  finally,  so  determined  was  the  captain, 
that  he  asked  him  to  come  with  him  to  his  home, 
where  he  would  tell  him  all. 

Seated  in  Mrs.  Petersen's  cosey  room,  the  poor 
old  seaman  heard  the  story  in  all  its  details,  half 
bewildered  by  the  good  Dutchman's  broken  Eng 
lish,  but  fully  able  to  extract  from  it  all  the  pain 
ful  and  shameful  particulars  of  his  grandson's 
rascality.  Once  launched  into  his  narration, 
Johnny  spared  nothing,  and,  at  the  end,  rather 
glorified  himself  for  having  taken  matters  into  his 
own  hands,  and  administered  condign  punishment 
to  the  culprit  upon  the  spot  ;  nor  did  he  deem  it 
necessary  to  apologize  to  the  grandfather  for  hav 
ing  done  so,  neither  did  Captain  Yorke  seem  to 
expect  this,  or  to  think  that  he  was  not  perfectly 
justified  in  all  that  he  had  done. 

Theodore  had  gone  home,  after  his  encounter 
with  Johnny,  evidently  suffering  and  much  crest 
fallen  ;  but  when  his  grandfather  had  questioned 
him,  he  had  added  to  his  sins,  and  accounted  for 
this,  by  saying  that  he  had  had  a  fight  in  school  ; 
he  being  quite  unaware  of  the  captain's  suspi 
cions,  and  of  his  interviews  with  Tony  and  the 
florist  in  the  morning.  His  grandfather  had  not 


266  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

yet  confronted  him  with  the  discovery  of  his  sin  ; 
for  he  had  come  directly  from  the  Petersens  to 
our  house,  deeming  it  best  to  take  counsel  with 
those  whom  he  considered  wiser  and  less  inter 
ested  than  himself. 

"  I  thought  I  had  done  with  all  sich  work  when 
I  heered  Tom  was  took,"  said  the  old  man  pathet 
ically  ;  "but  here  it's  broke  out  agin,  an'  me  an' 
Mis'  Yorke  not  so  young  as  we  was  by  a  long 
shot,  an'  can't  stan'  it  so  well.  The  Scriptur 
says,  '  Like  father,  like  son ; '  an'  I've  faith  to 
b'lieve  it,  seein'  I'm  provin'  it  in  my  own  fam'ly." 

"No,  no,  captain,"  said  uncle  Rutherford, 
holding  out  his  hand  kindly  to  the  veteran,  "you 
must  not  say  that,  for  if  Tom  had  been  like  his 
father,  he  would  have  been  a  man  in  whom  all 
who  knew  him  placed  confidence.  And  "  —  con 
tradicting  his  own  words  spoken  some  time  since 
— "  we  will  not  despair  of  your  grandson  yet. 
He  is  young,  and  under  good  influences  now." 

"  It's  all  the  wus,  Gov'nor,"  said  the  captain,  , 
shaking  his  head,  "all  the  wus  to  see  him  so 
young  and  so  wicked.  The  Scriptur'  says,  « The 
ways  of  transgressors  is  hard;'  but  I  b'lieve  the 
ways  of  them  what  has  to  do  with  the  transgress 
ors,  an'  f oiler  them  up,  is  harder,  an'  them's  my 
opinions." 

Father  and  uncle  Rutherford  each  offered  a 
few  words  of  sympathy,  and  endeavored  to  comfort 
him  ;  but  he  was  not  yet  to  be  consoled,  and 


MATTY  IS  PROVIDED  FOR.  267 

could  see  no  hope  for  the  future.  He  was  terri 
bly  distressed  over  the  necessity  of  telling  Mrs. 
Yorke,  and  said  that  he  meant  to  "  sleep  over  it," 
and  think  of  the  best  way  of  breaking  it  to  her. 
But  we  all  knew  how  much  probability  there  was 
of  that.  No  sooner  would  he  see  his  wife,  than 
his  full  heart  would  overleap  all  restraint  he  might 
have  intended  to  put  upon  it,  and  she  would  be 
put  in  possession  of  all  the  facts,  down  to  the 
smallest  details. 

In  the  midst  of  his  own  perplexities,  however, 
the  captain  did  not  forget  a  piece  of  news  he  had 
brought  with  him,  and  which  especially  interested 
me,  and  speedily  drew  me  into  the  library. 

While  he  was  still  with  the  Petersens,  but  on 
the  point  of  taking  his  leave,  the  sound  of  crutches 
had  been  heard  on  the  stairs  ;  and  Johnny,  turning 
to  listen,  said,  - 

"  Dems  is  Tony  mit  his  crushes.  Vat  is  upper 
now?"  and  opened  the  door  to  admit  not  only 
Tony,  but  also  his  sister.  Tony  was  flustered 
and  frightened,  with  eyes  half  starting  from  his 
head;  but  Matty  was  impassive  as  usual,  and 
showed  neither  terror  nor  excitement. 

"  They've  gone  !  "  exclaimed  the  lame  boy. 
"Who  are  gone?     Vat  is  de  madder?"  asked 
Johnny;  then  added,  before  Tony  could  answer, 
"Poor  leetle  poy,  he  is  all  upside  down  mit  dis 
day.     Shpeak,  Tony." 

"They've  gone,"  repeated  Tony;  "an'  what  is 


268  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

wus,  the  furnitur'  is  gone  too,  an'  there  ain't  no 
beds  nor  nuthin'." 

"Vat  is  gone?"  asked  Mrs.  Petersen  in  her 
turn ;  then,  jumping  at  her  own  conclusions, 
added,  "  De  vater  an'  de  mutter  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  good  riddance,  too  ;  on'y  we  ain't  got 
any  place  to  sleep,"  said  Tony;  which  filial  senti 
ment  found  an  echo  in  the  hearts  of  all  present. 

It  was  all  true,  as  Johnny  found  on  investiga 
tion.  When  Tony  and  Matty  had  gone  home  that 
evening,  they  found  the  wretched  room  on  the  top 
floor  of  a  tenement-house,  which  they  had  inhab 
ited  with  their  father  and  mother,  empty  and 
tenantless ;  the  few  articles  of  worthless  furniture 
(if  furniture  it  could  be  called)  which  it  had  for 
merly  held,  taken  away.  But  if  there  was  no  one 
there  to  welcome  them,  neither  did  there  await 
them  the  abusive  language  and  hard  blows  they 
too  frequently  encountered.  They  were  not  in 
the  slightest  degree  troubled  by  the  loss ;  their 
only  feeling  seemed  to  be,  as  Tony  expressed  it, 
that  it  was  a  "  good  riddance,"  save  that  they  had 
no  other  resting-place  for  the  night.  A  pitying 
neighbor  had  given  them  their  supper;  and  they 
were  told  that  their  mother  had  gone  out  early  in 
the  morning,  soon  after  they  had  gone  to  business, 
and,  re-appearing  with  a  carter,  had  had  her  few 
possessions  carried  away,  leaving  no  word  whither 
she  was  bound,  or  message  for  the  helpless 
children.  The  mystery  was  solved  in  a  degree, 


MATTY  IS  PROVIDED  FOR.  269 

when  two  police-officers  appeared  a  few  hours 
later,  saying  that  Blair  was  "  wanted  "  for  a  grave 
offence  against  the  law  ;  but  the  bird  had  flown, 
and  so  far  left  no  trace. 

I  was  delighted,  and  could  almost  have  thanked 
Blair  for  committing  a  crime  which  rendered  flight 
necessary,  and  seemed  to  leave  the  way  open  for  a 
decent  provision  for  the  destitute  children. 

Captain  Yorke  told  us  that  Mrs.  Petersen  was 
going  to  keep  them  for  the  night,  and  that  they 
were  already  quite  at  home  and  comfortable,  and 
Tony  excitedly  happy,  —  happiness  and  Matty 
could  not  be  associated, — with  the  motherly 
German  woman  and  her  husband. 

But  our  two  gentlemen  and  Captain  Yorke  had 
not  yet  come  to  any  conclusion  as  to  what  was  to 
be  done  with  Theodore ;  and  it  was  an  embarrassing 
question  to  decide.  To  take  the  boy,  a  boy  who 
was  making  fair  progress  in  his  studies,  and  who 
was  pains-taking  and  ambitious,  from  school,  and 
bury  him  in  the  quiet  sea-side  home,  where,  save 
for  three  or  four  months  of  the  year,  he  would 
be  almost  altogether  cut  off  from  association  with 
any  but  the  few  still  primitive  inhabitants  of  the 
Point,  and  where  he  would  be  entirely  deprived  of 
any  advantages  of  education,  seemed  almost  too 
much  punishment  even  for  the  grave  offences 
which  those  three  honorable,  high-minded  men 
found  it  hard  to  condone.  But,  again,  it  was  not 
to  be  thought  of,  that,  devoid  of  conscience  and 


2/O  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

right  feeling  as  he  was,  he  should  be  left  alone 
exposed  to  the  temptations  of  the  great  city. 
For  Captain  and  Mrs.  Yorke  must  shortly  return 
home,  Mrs.  Yorke's  physician  having  pronounced 
her  sufficiently  cured  to  be  allowed  to  do  so 
in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks ;  and,  even  as  it  was, 
the  nominal  protection  of  Theodore's  grandparents 
had  formed  no  safeguard  against  evil.  The  evil 
was  in  his  own  heart,  but  he  might  be  placed 
where  there  would  be  fewer  opportunities  for  its 
development. 

It  was  a  grave  matter  for  consideration,  and 
could  not  be  hastily  decided. 

"  Of  course,"  said  uncle  Rutherford,  as  he  bid 
the  captain  good-night,  "  of  course  it  is  out  of  the 
question  for  Theodore  to  remain  in  the  city  after 
you  and  Mrs.  Yorke  leave,  even  under  the  care  of 
the  kind  woman  with  whom  you  now  board  ;  he 
would  not  recognize  her  authority,  and  would  con 
sider  himself  free  to  go  any  lengths.  No,  that  is 
not  to  be  thought  of;  but  we  may  devise  some 
other  plan  by  which  he  may  have  some  schooling 
and  be  kept  in  proper  restraint ;  and  he  may  yet 
in  time  prove  a  help  and  comfort  to  you,  Yorke. 
For  your  sake  I  would  do  much  to  set  him  in  the 
right  way ;  and  his  teachers  think  that  he  has  the 
making  of  a  clever  man  in  him,  if  we  can  but  instil 
something  like  principle  into  his  character.  Take 
heart,  man." 

But  the  captain  went  out  sadly  and  hopelessly 


MATTY  IS  PROVIDED  FOR.  2/1 

shaking  his  gray  head,  over  which  twenty  years 
seemed  to  have  passed  since  the  morning  of  that 
day. 

It  was  not,  perhaps,  that  his  affection  for  his 
grandson  had  been  so  deeply  grieved ;  for  the  boy 
had,  until  less  than  a  year  since,  been  quite  a 
stranger  to  his  grandparents,  and  Theodore  was 
not  an  attractive  boy  even  to  his  own  family  ;  and, 
had  the  choice  been  given  to  the  captain,  he 
would  undoubtedly  have  much  preferred  to  claim 
Jim  as  his  own,  his  open,  sunny,  joyous  nature 
responding  much  more  readily  to  the  old  man's 
than  did  that  of  the  far  less  amiable  Theodore. 
But  he  felt  ashamed  and  disgraced,  and  as  if  he 
could  not  bear  to  look  any  one  of  the  name  of 
Rutherford  or  Livingstone  in  the  face,  while  he 
still  felt  that  to  our  family  alone  could  he  turn  for 
help  and  advice  in  this  sad  business. 

"  Ye  see,  you  and  Mr.  Livingstone  knows  a 
heap  more  'bout  wicked  ways  an'  doin's  than  me 
an'  Miss  Yorke  does,  Gov'nor,"  he  said  to  uncle 
Rutherford,  altogether  innocent  of  any  uncom 
plimentary  inference  which  might  be  drawn,  "  an' 
so  ye'd  know  the  best  ways  out  of  'em.  Yes,  I 
says  to  myself,  says  I,  if  there's  enny  one  knows 
the  ways  out  of  a  bad  scrape,  it'll  be  them  city 
born  and  bred  gentlemen;  so  I  come  along  to 
tell  ye  afore  I  tole  Miss  Yorke  or  nothin'.  Mebbe 
ye  could  tell  me  how  to  make  it  a  little  lighter 
for  her,"  he  added  wistfully. 


2/2  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

Alas  !  beyond  the  promise  to  think  the  matter 
over,  and  to  consider  what  was  best  to  be  done, 
his  two  friends  could  give  him  little  consolation 
to  convey  to  the  poor  grandmother,  who  had  built 
so  much  on  the  opportunities  offered  to  the  boy 
who  she  had  hoped  and  believed  would  prove  a 
credit  and  support  to  the  declining  years  of  herself 
and  her  husband. 

The  next  morning,  directly  after  breakfast, 
I  announced  my  intention  of  going  immediately 
round  to  see  cousin  Serena,  and  asking  her  to  go 
with  me  to  Mrs.  Petersen's,  to  ascertain  if  there 
were  any  hope  that  she  would  take  Tony  and 
Matty,  now  that  their  father  and  mother  had 
apparently  deserted  them.  I  would  provide  for 
Matty,  and  cousin  Serena  wished  to  do  the  same 
for  the  boy.  I  was  very  eager  now  to  carry  out 
my  plans,  believing  that  the  lions  in  the  way  were 
entirely  removed,  and  that  no  one  could  have  any 
further  objection  to  my  doing  so. 

But,  to  my  great  disgust,  again  there  were 
dissenting  voices  ;  for  father  and  mother,  aunt 
Emily,  yes,  and  even  impulsive,  push-a-thing-ahead 
uncle  Rutherford,  said  that  it  would  not  do  to  take 
it  for  granted  that  the  elder  Blairs  would  not 
return  and  claim  the  children.  It  was  not  proba 
ble,  they  agreed,  but  it  was  more  than  possible  ; 
and  all  my  elders  were  quite  positive  that  the 
Petersens  would  not  undertake  the  care  of  Tony 
and  Matty  until  they  felt  assured  that  the  parents 


MATTY  IS  PROVIDED  FOR. 


were  not  likely  to  meddle  with  them,  or  to  make 
trouble  for  those  who  had  them  in  charge. 

"  But  I  want  to  go  and  see,"  I  said,  determined, 
if  possible,  to  carry  my  point  at  once,  "  if  the 
Petersens  will  do  it  —  and  they  may.  There  is  no 
use  in  leaving  Matty  unprovided  for.  What  will 
she  and  Tony  do  if  Mrs.  Petersen  will  not  keep 
them  while  it  is  uncertain  whether  that  man  and 
woman  return  or  not  ?  " 

I  spoke  in  rather  an  aggrieved  tone,  feeling 
somewhat  inclined  to  think  my  relatives  hard 
hearted. 

"  Interview  Mrs.  Petersen,  if  you  choose,  my 
daughter,"  said  papa;  "only  be  prepared  for 
disappointment." 

"  I  only  want  to  see  Matty  provided  for,  papa," 
I  answered,  a  little  ashamed  of  my  former 
pettishness. 

"And  Matty,  and  Tony  also,  shall  not  be  allowed 
to  suffer,  Amy,"  said  uncle  Rutherford  sympatheti 
cally  ;  mindful,  perhaps,  of  his  own  propensity  for 
forcing  things  to  a  wished-for  conclusion  at  once. 

"  I'll  see  cousin  Serena,  and  take  her  views, 
anyway,"  I  said,  my  good  humor  restored  ;  and  I 
lost  little  time  in  carrying  out  my  purpose. 

Miss  Craven  herself  was  so  eager  and  earnest 
when  in  pursuit  of  any  plan,  especially  when  it 
was  for  the  benefit  or  pleasure  of  others,  that  I 
built  much  on  her  co-operation  in  the  work  of 
persuading  the  Petersens  to  take  the  cripples 


2/4  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

under  their  protection  at  once  ;  and  I  was  pro 
portionately  crestfallen  when  I  found  that  she 
took  the  same  view  of  the  case  as  my  own 
family,  saying  also  that  she  did  not  believe  that 
Johnny  and  his  wife  would  agree  to  my  proposal, 
and  that  she  did  not  think  it  advisable  that  they 
should.  However,  she  willingly  consented  to  go 
with  me  to  the  Petersens. 

And,  lo!  I  returned  triumphant ;  for  Mrs.  Peter- 
sen,  moved  probably  more  by  the  utter  desolation 
of  the  children  than  by  any  arguments  or  persua 
sions  of  mine,  had  consented  without  difficulty  to 
take  them  for  the  present,  and  to  retain  them  so 
long  as  the  parent  Blairs  did  not  return  or  claim 
them. 

And  whatever  his  wife  decided,  that  was  sure 
to  be  the  best  in  Johnny's  eyes  ;  so,  her  consent 
being  gained,  there  was  no  fear  of  a  dissenting 
voice  from  him.  Moreover,  recollections  of  his 
own  youth  inclined  Johnny's  heart  to  be  mer 
ciful. 

"  Und  why  for  no,"  he  said,  when  appealed  to 
on  behalf  of  the  deserted  children,  "  why  for  no  ? 
Sometime  ven  mine  fader  und  mutter  die  mit  me, 
und  dere  vas  nopody  to  gif  leetle  Johnny  notings, 
vat  should  he  do,  if  did  not  come  some  goot 
peoples  vat  take  und  eat  him  und  sleep  him  ?  I 
don'  forget ;  und  how  I  vas  done  py,  I  do  mit  der 
oders.  Mine  wife  she  vas  so  goot  as  a  mutter  for 
dem." 


MATTY  IS  PROVIDED  FOR.  2?$ 

The  arrangement  was  concluded  to  the  mutual 
satisfaction  of  the  Petersens  and  myself,  to  say 
nothing  of  that  of  Tony,  —  Matty,  as  usual,  show 
ing  no  sign  either  of  pleasure  or  the  contrary. 
There  was  no  time  lost  in  settling  the  cripples  in 
their  new  quarters,  so  superior  in  all  respects  to 
any  they  had  ever  enjoyed  before.  There  was 
nothing  to  be  moved  from  those  they  had  occupied 
with  their  father  and  mother ;  not  a  splinter,  not 
a  shred,  beyond  the  clothes  they  had  on  and  those 
kept  at  Mrs.  Petersen's,  was  left  to  them  ;  indeed, 
had  there  been,  we  never  should  have  allowed 
them  to  claim  it,  nor  would  Mrs.  Petersen  have 
allowed  it  to  come  into  her  tidy  apartments. 

My  day  was  occupied  in  a  fever  of  energy, 
running  from  one  place  to  another,  providing 
beds  and  clothing  and  other  articles,  —  many  of 
which,  had  I  not  been  checked  by  wiser  counsels, 
would  have  been  unnecessary  and  unfit,  —  dragging 
cousin  Serena  with  me  ;  begging  from  mother, 
aunt  Emily,  and  Mrs.  Sanford,  and  drawing  some 
what  heavily  on  my  own  resources.  At  last  every 
thing  was  ready,  to  the  serene  content  of  Mrs. 
Petersen,  who  now  seemed  to  feel  as  if  she  had 
really  adopted  the  children  ;  and  when  evening 
came,  I  rested  in  the  happy  consciousness  that 
Matty  was  at  last  well  provided  for,  as  I  would 
have  her,  and  that  I  had  carried  my  point  with 
comparatively  little  trouble. 

Jim  beamed  upon  me  every  time  he  came  near 


276  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

me,  and  he  appeared  to  have  a  sense  of  partner 
ship  which  was  not  a  little  amusing. 

Amy  had  "  taken  it  awfully  hard,"  my  brothers, 
Norman  and  Douglas,  said  as  they  ran  me  on  my 
new  burst  of  philanthropy;  but  I  was  too  com 
placent  and  well  satisfied  to  be  at  all  disturbed  by 
their  comments. 

Little  did  I  dream,  while  dwelling  on  the  future 
I  had  planned  for  the  little  hunchback,  that  a 
higher  hand  than  mine  was  so  soon  to  take  all 
provision  for  her  into  its  own  keeping. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  as  Milly  and 
I,  just  dressed  for  a  very  different  scene  from  that 
to  which  we  were  suddenly  called,  were  passing 
down  the  stairs  to  the  carriage  which  was  await 
ing  us,  Jim  came  rushing  up  in  a  state  of  terrible 
excitement,  with  distressed,  frightened  eyes  look 
ing  out  of  a  deadly  white  face. 

"  Miss  Milly  !  Miss  Milly  !  "  he  gasped,  all  out 
of  breath  as  he  was  with  rapid  running,  and  ad 
dressing  first  the  one  to  whom  he  was  accustomed 
to  turn  in  all  emergencies  or  need  for  help,  "  Miss 
Milly,  oh,  come  quick!  No,  no  — it's  Miss  Amy 
I  mean.  Miss  Amy,  come  quick;  she  wants 
you  ! " 

"  Who  wants  me  ?  what  is  the  matter  ?  "  asked 
both  Milly  and  I  in  one  breath,  and  very  much 
alarmed  as  we  saw  that  there  was  really  some 
serious  trouble. 

"Matty!     She'll    be    gone,   miss.      Oh,   come 


MATTY  IS  PROVIDED  FOR.  2/7 

quick ! "  he  answered,  still  in  the  same  breathless 
manner. 

Visions  of  the  drunken  mother  returning  for  the 
child,  and  striving  to  take  her  away  against  her 
will,  at  once  presented  themselves  to  my  imagin 
ation  ;  and  now,  indeed,  my  boasted  interest  in 
Matty  was  tried.  Was  I  expected  to  face  this 
worthless,  angry  woman,  and  rescue  my  poor  little 
protegee  ?  I  could  not  do  it  ;  this  was  my  first 
thought.  Then,  again,  was  I  to  abandon  the  poor 
child  without  one  struggle,  without  one  effort  to 
prevail  on  the  woman  to  leave  the  helpless  child 
in  the  better  hands  into  which  she  had  fallen  ? 
Like  a  flash  of  lightning  all  this  passed  through 
my  brain  ;  then  I  said  to  Jim  faintly  and  with  a 
faltering  heart,  — 

"  Is  there  any  one  there  to  help  ? " 

"Yes,  miss,"  answered  Jim;  "there's  Johnny, 
an'  Mrs.  Petersen,  an'  the  policeman  brought  her 
in,  an'  the  doctor.  But,  O  Miss  Amy,  do  make 
haste !  she  wants  you  so  bad,  an'  the  doctor  said 
to  bring  you  quick." 

The  doctor  ?     Then  was  Matty  ill,  in  danger  ? 

"  What  is  it,  Jim  ?  Do  speak,"  said  Milly. 
"What  is  the  trouble?  Is  Matty  ill?  do  you 
mean  she  is  dying  ?  " 

"The  doctor  said  so,  Miss  Milly.  'Twas  the 
fire-engine.  But  do  be  quick  !" 

A  sickening  horror  came  over  me,  and  Milly 
turned  as  white  as  a  sheet ;  but  no  more  time  was 


278  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

lost.  We  hurried  into  the  carriage,  bade  Jim 
mount  beside  the  coachman,  and,  not  even  know 
ing  whither  we  were  bound,  left  the  directions  to 
him. 

But  the  drive  to  our  unknown  destination  was 
not  a  long  one ;  and  in  two  minutes  we  drew  up 
at  Dutch  Johnny's  little  flower-store,  around  which 
a  crowd  had  gathered,  through  which  we  had  to 
push  our  way ;  or  rather  the  policeman,  who  stood 
by  the  door,  opened  a  way  for  us. 

Stretched  upon  the  floor,  in  the  midst  of  all  the 
delicate  verdure  and  brilliant  color  in  the  florist's 
small  store,  lay  Matty,  her  little  shorn  head  sup 
ported  upon  the  breast  of  Mrs.  Petersen,  who  was 
bending  over  her  with  the  tears  running  down  her 
cheeks.  At  Mrs.  Petersen's  side  was  Tony,  lean 
ing  his  head  against  her  other  shoulder,  his  face 
a  mixture  of  terror,  grief,  and  bewilderment,  both 
his  hands  clasping  those  of  Matty ;  around  were 
grouped  Johnny,  a  doctor,  and  a  second  officer. 

Matty's  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  door ;  and  as 
we  entered,  a  sudden  gleam  of  intelligence  and 
pleasure  lighted  them.  She  drew  one  of  her  hands 
from  Tony's  clasp,  and  stretched  it  out  to  me. 

Regardless  of  my  light  spring  costume  as  it 
came  in  contact  with  the  damp  floor  of  the  green 
house,  I  knelt  in  front  of  Mrs.  Petersen,  and  bent 
over  the  poor  little  creature.  Only  once  in  my 
life  had  I  seen  death  ;  and  then  neither  my  affec 
tions  nor  my  sympathies  had  been  enlisted,  and 


MATTY  IS  PROVIDED  FOR.  2/9 

my  sensations,  from  the  nature  of  the  circum 
stances,  had  been  only  those  of  horror  and  repul 
sion,  and  I  had  fled  from  the  sight,  while  now 
the  recollection  of  it  was  as  some  dreadful  dream. 
Never  before  had  I  seen  a  soul  pass  from  the  one 
life  to  the  other ;  but  countless  experiences  could 
not  have  told  me  the  truth  more  forcibly  than 
did  the  look  upon  the  face  so  small,  so  pitifully 
old  and  care-worn.  The  hand  of  God's  angel  had 
already  written  it  too  plainly  there. 

A  merciful  angel,  blotting  out  the  traces  of  suf 
fering  and  weariness  and  oppression  such  as,  hap 
pily,  few  of  God's  little  ones  are  called  upon  to 
bear ;  and  imprinting  in  their  place  rest  and  peace 
unspeakable. 

For  Matty  was  passing  away  without  pain  ;  the 
injuries  she  had  received  had  dulled  sensation, 
while  they  were  destroying  life. 

She  motioned  for  me  to  bend  down,  for  she  was 
almost  past  speech  ;  then  raising  both  hands  she 
tried  to  push  back  my  hat.  I  flung  it  aside,  and 
she  passed  her  hands  over  my  hair  again  and 
again,  and  drew  her  thin  fingers,  from  whose 
touch  I  did  not  shrink  now,  through  the  curling 
rings  about  my  forehead  and  temples ;  then  her 
lips  moved,  and  Tony  stooped  to  listen. 

"  She  says  hers  '  more  purtier,' "  said  the  poor 
little  brother,  half  choking. 

"  Yes,  Matty,"  I  said,  "  much  prettier.  You 
had  the  prettiest  hair  I  ever  saw."  Then,  as  a 


2 SO  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

sudden  inspiration  flashed  upon  me,  "  I  am  going 
to  that  barber  to  buy  back  your  hair,  Matty  ;  and 
Tony  shall  have  it  for  his  own  to  keep  all  his  life." 

Her  face  brightened,  and  a  smile,  the  first,  the 
only  smile  I  ever  saw  upon  it,  lightened  it  and 
almost  transfigured  it ;  then  she  turned  her  eyes 
from  me,  and  looked  around  the  little  store  till 
they  rested  upon  a  beautiful  pink  azalea  which 
stood  at  a  little  distance,  —  beautiful  in  itself,  but 
not  for  the  purpose  for  which  Matty  wanted  it. 

Taking  one  hand  from  my  hair,  while  the  fingers 
of  the  other  still  lingered  among  my  curls,  she 
pointed  to  the  plant,  and  looked  wistfully  at 
Johnny.  The  good  German  was  not  usually  quick 
of  comprehension ;  but  he  understood  the  mute 
appeal  now,  and  he  asked  in  a  voice  even  more 
husky  than  his  usual  guttural  tones, — 

"  Vat  you  vants,  Maddy  ?    Some  dem  vlowers  ? " 

She  nodded  assent,  and  the  florist  hastily  cut  a 
cluster,  and  put  it  in  her  hand.  With  fast-failing 
strength  she  tried  to  place  it  in  my  hair ;  but  the 
effort  was  too  much ;  and  Milly,  who  stood  behind 
me,  assisted  her  to  arrange  the  blossoms  as  she 
would  have  them.  A  look  of  intense  satisfaction 
passed  over  the  pallid  face,  as  though  to  her 
untutored  taste  this  glaring  adornment  was  all  that 
could  be  desired ;  then  the  hands  fell,  and  the  lips 
moved. 

Both  Tony  and  I  tried  to  hear ;  but  the  only 
word  I  could  hear  was,  "suffer." 


MATTY  IS  PROVIDED  FOR.  28 1 

"  Do  you  suffer  so,  poor  little  Matty  ?  "  I  asked, 
for  the  doctor  had  assured  us  that  she  did  not. 

She    shook  her  head  feebly,  and   I  heard  the 
word  "  children." 

"  What  children  ?  Do  you  mean  you  want  to 
see  my  little  sisters,  Matty  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No,  miss,"  interposed  Tony.  "  I  knows  what 
she  means.  It  is  a  teks  was  hung  up  in  the  Sun 
day-school  room  right  forninst  where  she  sat,  an' 
she  used  to  sit  starin'  at  it  like  she  hadn't  nothin' 
else  to  think  on  ;  an'  the  lady  what  run  the  class 
teached  it  to  her  one  day,  'cause  it  was  the 
Golden  Teks  for  that  clay,  an'  she's  made  me  be 
a-hearin'  ov  it  a  many  times  since.  She  did  set 
sich  a  heap  by  that  teks  as  I  niver  saw,  an'  I'm 
thinkin'  she  wants  yer  to  be  a-repeatin'  of  it  to 
her,  miss.  —  Does  yer,  Matty  ? " 

Again  she  nodded  ;  and  I  said  as  well  as  my 
sobs  would  let  me,  "  Suffer  little  children  to  come 
unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not ;  for  of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven." 

"  More,  more,"  she  whispered  faintly  ;  and  I 
repeated  over  and  over  again  the  sweet,  gracious 
invitation  which  has  lasted  and  shall  last  through 
all  time,  gathering  into  those  loving  arms  the 
little  ones  of  every  degree,  the  beautiful  and  the 
uncouth,  the  happy  and  the  oppressed ;  until  to 
the  echo  of  that  golden  text  poor  Matty's  soul 
floated  away  peacefully  and  quietly. 

Unsightly,  unhappy,  and  unloved,  save  for  the 


282  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

faithful  young  brother  to  whom  she  was  all  in  all, 

—  to  her,  little  had  been  given  ;  and  we  may  surely 
believe  that  from  her  little  would  be  required. 

So  was  Matty  provided  for,  and  the  care  of  her 
taken  from  my  hands  and  those  of  generous  Jim, 
who  really  seemed  to  mourn  for  her  as  though  she 
had  been  his  own  sister. 

The  particulars  of  the  circumstances  which  led 
to  her  death,  as  related  by  Johnny  Petersen,  Tony, 
and  the  policeman  who  had  witnessed  the  accident, 

—  for  accident  it  was, — were  these. 

Matty  had  had  the  most  unbounded  terror  of  the 
fire-engines,  — perhaps  owing  to  the  fact,  stated  by 
Tony,  that  her  deformity  had  been  occasioned  by 
her  being  thrown  from  a  window  during  a  fire  when 
she  was  a  very  young  child ;  and  she  probably 
associated  the  engines  with  all  the  misery,  both 
mental  and  physical,  which  she  had  ever  since 
suffered.  However  that  may  be,  the  sight  or 
sound  of  them  was  sufficient  to  rouse  her  from  the 
state  of  dull  apathy  usual  to  her,  into  a  paroxysm 
of  alarm  and  nervousness ;  and  if  Tony  were  any 
where  within  reach  she  always  sought  his  side  with 
some  fancied  idea  of  protection,  until  the  terror 
was  beyond  her  vision  and  hearing. 

Tony  had  been  sent  by  Johnny  on  some  errand, 
and  was  returning,  and  had  nearly  reached  the 
opposite  corner  of  the  avenue,  when  the  sound  of 
the  galloping  hoofs  and  rattling  wheels  of  a  fire- 
engine  were  heard. 


MATTY  IS  PROVIDED  FOR.  283 

Matty  at  her  stand  without  the  florist's  shop  was 
out  of  harm's  way ;  but  no  sooner  did  the  clatter 
of  the  approaching  steamer  strike  her  ear,  than 
she  hastily  rose  from  her  seat,  and  started  to  meet 
Tony,  who,  pausing  with  boyish  interest  to  watch 
the  engine  as  it  came  up  the  cross  street,  did  not 
»see  or  heed  his  sister  until  it  was  too  late.  Johnny 
saw  from  within  the  shop,  and  started  to  hold  back 
the  child :  but  fear  lent  wings  to  Matty's  usually 
slow  and  faltering  footsteps  ;  she  heeded  not  or 
heard  not  his  calls;  and,  before  he  could  reach 
her,  the  engine  swung  around  the  corner  into  the 
avenue,  and  the  already  so  sadly  disfigured  little 
form  lay  among  the  trampling  hoofs  and  crushing 
wheels. 

Johnny  himself  had  raised  her,  and  carried  her 
tenderly  into  his  little  bower,  where  he  laid  her 
down  among  the  flowers  to  breathe  away  the  few 
short  moments  of  her  waning  life.  Seeming  to  be 
conscious  at  once  of  what  was  before  her,  she  had 
made  Tony  understand  by  signs  and  one  or  two 
faintly  gasped  words  that  she  wanted  me ;  and 
Jim,  who  had  as  usual  stopped  in  on  his  way  from 
school,  had  hastened  to  bring  me. 

Sobered  and  sadly  impressed,  and  yet  with  a 
feeling  that  Matty's  release  was  a  blessing  beyond 
all  expression,  Milly  and  I  returned  home,  with  no 
heart,  as  may  be  supposed,  for  the  entertainment 
for  which  we  had  been  bound  when  we  were  called 
to  her. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


JIM'S    CONFESSION 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

JIM'S    CONFESSION. 

Two  days  had  passed,  and  poor  little  Matty 
had  been  laid  to  the  rest  which  knows  no  break 
ing  ;  and  all  about  Mrs.  Petersen's  rooms  and  the 
little  flower-shop  had  settled  to  its  usual  routine, 
save  that  Tony  still  abode  with  the  kind  Germans, 
and  that  he  tended  alone  both  the  peanut-stand 
and  his  roaster.  His  parents  had  not  yet  returned, 
nor  have  we  to  this  day  obtained,  or  indeed 
sought,  any  trace  of  them ;  all  concerned  being 
only  too  glad  that  they  have  made  no  claim  upon 
the  little  lame  boy.  Tony,  now  no  longer  a  pea 
nut-vender,  has  been  promoted  to  the  post  of 
assistant  and  errand-boy  to  Johnny  Petersen,  who, 
with  his  wife,  treat  the  lad  as  if  he  were  their  own 
son,  instead  of  a  little  deserted  waif  cast  by  a 
merciful  Providence  into  their  kind  hands. 

I  had,  happily,  —  or  rather  Edward  had  for  me, 
—  been  able  to  rescue  Matty's  beautiful  tresses 
from  the  hands  of  the  conscienceless  barber,  who, 
when  approached  on  the  subject,  demanded  the 
most  exorbitant  price  for  them ;  but  rinding  that 
the  circumstances  of  the  first  sale  were  known  to 

287 


288  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

the  gentleman,  and  being  confronted  with  Tony, 
whom  my  brother  had  taken  with  him  and  left 
outside  till  he  should  ascertain  what  advance  in 
price  would  be  asked,  he  came  down  in  his  de 
mands,  and  parted  with  them  at  exactly  three 
times  the  sum  he  had  paid  for  them,  and  which 
probably,  in  righteousness,  he  should  have  given 
to  Matty. 

They  were  at  once  given  to  Tony,  whose  pride 
in  them  had  been  only  less  than  that  of  his  sister, 
and  who,  with  a  show  of  tender  sentiment  scarcely 
to  be  expected  from  one  of  his  surroundings  and 
antecedents,  received  them  as  a  gift  from  the 
dead.  Cheery,  jolly  little  Tony  !  but  for  this  and 
other  similar  tokens  of  an  affectionate  heart,  it 
might  have  been  thought  that  he  was  wanting  in 
feeling,  so  easily  did  his  elastic,  joyous  spirit  throw 
off  trouble ;  so  completely  did  he  extract  all  the 
sweet,  and  throw  aside  all  the  bitter,  offered  to 
him  by  a  lot  in  life  which  most  of  us  would  not 
have  envied. 

In  the  trouble  and  excitement  over  the  sudden 
fate  of  the  little  "  deform,"  as  Allie  and  Daisy 
had  called  her,  we  had  for  the  moment  put  aside 
the  question  of  what  was  to  be  done  with  Theo 
dore  Yorke  ;  but  now  it  was  to  be  decided. 

That  the  boy  could  be  touched ;  that  he  was 
not  lost  to  all  trace  of  human  or  decent  feeling,  — 
was  shown  by  the  trouble,  and,  his  grandparents 
thought,  remorse,  which  he  testified  on  hearing 


JIM'S  CONFESSION.  289 

of  Matty's  tragical  death  ;  and  he  would  even 
have  tried  to  make  some  amends  to  Tony,  had  not 
the  lame  boy  absolutely  refused  to  let  him  come 
near  him  ;  while  the  florist,  seeing  him  from  with 
in  the  shop,  rushed  out  upon  him,  and  threatened 
him  with  some  more  of  the  same  "veesic  "  as  he 
had  administered  before,  seeming  inclined  to  do 
so  whether  or  no  ;  and  Theodore,  plainly  thinking 
discretion  the  better  part  of  valor,  had  lost  no 
time  in  putting  a  safe  distance  between  himself 
and  the  pugilistic  old  German. 

Not  wishing  to  discuss  the  subject  in  the  pres 
ence  of  the  culprit  or  his  distressed  and  anxious 
grandmother,  uncle  Rutherford  had  told  Captain 
Yorke  to  come  again  to  our  house  in  the  evening 
of  the  day  on  which  Matty  was  buried  ;  having 
first  taken  counsel  with  father  and  mother  and 
aunt  Emily  as  to  the  best  course  to  be  pursued 
for  all  interested.  The  captain  seemed  quite  to 
have  lost  his  usual  independence  and  courage,  and 
had  put  himself  and  his  family  into  the  hands  of 
those  who  he  knew  were  good  friends  to  him 
and  his. 

"  I  didn't  let  on  to  the  boy,  Gov'nor  an'  Mr. 
Livingstone,"  he  said,  rubbing  up  his  grizzled 
locks  as  was  his  wont  when  talking,  "  I  didn't  let 
on  to  the  boy  as  we  was  thinkin'  he  was  to  be 
took  from  school ;  but  I'm  glad  to  say  he  was 
consid'able  cut  up  along  of  that  poor  little  hunch 
back,  an'  his  bein'  so  mean  to  her  jes'  afore  she 


2QO  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

was  took ;  an'  I'm  thinkin'  he  has  some  kind  of 
feelin's  in  respecks  of  her,  all  the  more  mebbe  as 
he  thinks  he's  goin'  to  get  off  'thout  any  more 
punishment  than  what  he  got ;  an'  I  don't  bear  no 
grudge  agin  that  Dutch  flower-man  for  what  he 
done  to  him, — an'  isn't  he  a  Dutchy  though! 
'Pears  like  he  ain't  never  studied  no  grammar  nor 
good  English,  nor  nothin',  an'  them's  my  opinions. 
He  do  talk  the  funniest,  an'  mos'  times  I  don't 
hardly  make  no  sense  of  it.  But,"  with  a  heavy, 
long-drawn  sigh,  "what  was  yer  both  of  ye  thinkin' 
it  was  bes'  to  do  ? " 

"  We  have  thought,  captain,"  answered  uncle 
Rutherford,  to  whom  father  left  all  explanations, 
"  we  have  thought  it  would  be  best  and  wisest, 
if  you  and  his  grandmother  and  mother  agree, 
to  send  Theodore  to  a  boarding-school  on  Long 
Island,  where  he  will  be  kept  under  very  strict 
discipline  and  supervision." 

"  Supervision !  an'  what  may  that  be,  Gov'nor, 
askin'  yer  pardon?"  said  the  old  man,  as  uncle 
Rutherford  paused  for  a  moment  to  see  how  he 
would  take  his  proposal. 

Uncle  Rutherford  explained,  and,  seeing  that 
he  must  confine  himself  to  simple  words,  went 
on, — 

"We  know  the  gentleman  in  charge,  and  believe 
that  he  will  have  an  especial  eye  to  Theodore  if 
we  ask  him  to  do  so  ;  and  he  is  an  excellent 
teacher,  and  will  bring  him  on  in  his  studies.  If 


JIM'S  CONFESSION.  2gi 

Theodore  does  well  there  for  a  year  or  two,  and 
shows  himself  fit  to  be  trusted,  we  may  then  re 
move  him  to  a  different  and  higher  school,  where 
he  may  still  fit  himself  to  be  a  man,  and  a  help 
and  comfort  to  you.  He  has  his  future  in  his  own 
hands  ;  let  him  do  well,  and  Mr.  Livingstone  and 
I  will  see  that  he  is  provided  for  till  he  is  fitted 
to  take  care  of  himself ;  but  an  opportunity  which 
might  have  been  his  "  —  O,  dear  uncle  Ruther 
ford,  why  need  you  have  told  this  ?  —  "must  pass 
to  another  who  has  better  deserved  it.  Do  you 
feel  that  you  can  part  with  the  boy,  and  let  him 
go  to  boarding-school  ?  " 

"  I  reckon  I  ain't  goin'  to  have  much  feelin's 
agin  it,"  answered  the  captain,  whose  face  had 
assumed  an  expression  of  intense  relief  as  uncle 
Rutherford  unfolded  his  plans.  "  I  don't  set 
such  a  heap  by  the  boy  as  to  set  my  face  against 
his  goin'  to  the  boardin'-school,  if  it  do  be  stric'  ; 
it'll  do  him  good ;  an'  he  ain't  got  roun'  me  so's 
the  other  gran'children  have,  an'  I'd  a  sight 
rather  we  had  Jim  for  a  gran'boy  than  this  one, 
if  he  is  my  own  flesh  an'  blood,  as  they  say.  I 
ain't  never  took  no  stock  in  him  sence  the  first 
day  he  come,  when  I  see  him  take  his  little  sister's 
bigger  cake  unbeknownst  to  the  little  one,  an'  put 
his'n  what  was  not  so  big  in  its  place." 

There  were  no  family  secrets  or  shortcomings 
which  would  not  come  to  light  when  the  captain 
was  on  the  high-road  to  such  disclosures  ;  for  a 


2Q2  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

wise  and  discreet  reticence  was  not  his  distin 
guishing  characteristic,  as  we  know. 

"  I  hope  he'll  do  well,  an'  turn  out  a  credit  to 
ye,  Gov'nor  an'  Mr.  Livingstone,"  he  continued,  as 
though  washing  his  hands  of  the  boy,  though  all 
the  while  the  trouble  dwelt  upon  his  weather- 
beaten  old  face  ;  "  but  /  bet  on  Jim,  an'  I  wish  it 
was  him  had  the  chance  ye  speak  of.  Mebbe  it  is, 
now  ;  an'  if  it  was,  it'd  be  'most  a  set-off  agin 
the  other  not  havin'  it.  I  set  a  lot  on  Jim  !  " 

And  the  old  man  looked  inquiringly  at  uncle 
Rutherford,  who  was  not,  however,  quite  so  indis 
creet  as  his  interlocutor,  and  kept  his  own  counsel 
so  far  as  this. 

So  it  was  settled,  then.  Theodore  was  to  be 
removed  from  the  school  he  was  attending  at 
present,  and  sent  to  the  boarding-school,  where 
he  would  be  under  far  closer  restraint  than  he 
could  be  in  the  city,  or  even  at  home  with  his 
grandparents ;  and  there  could  be  no  question 
that  the  old  man  felt  that  a  great  responsibility 
was  taken  from  his  shoulders. 

"I  wish  it  was  time  to  go  home.  I  mean,  I  wish 
Miss  Yorke  was  cured  up  so's  we  could  go  home," 
he  said.  "  I  reckon  I've  seen  about  all  there  is  to 
see  in  this  town  ;  an'  it's  my  opinions  I  might 
'bout  as  well  be  thinkin'  of  the  seines  an'  poles, 
an'  lobster-pots,  an'  so  on.  Course  they  wants 
lookin'  arter  'cordin'  to  custom  this  time  o'  year  ; 
an'  Jabez  he's  took  so  to  carpenterin'  an'  what  he 


JIM'S  CONFESSION.  293 

calls  cabiny-makin',  he's  goin'  to  let  'em  slip,  Jabez 
is  ;  an'  come  time  for  settin'  'em  they  ain't  goin' 
to  be  ready,  an'  I  reckon  I  oughter  to  be  there  ; 
but  the  doctor,  he  says  four  weeks  more  for  Miss 
Yorke,  an'  he'll  let  her  go  cured.  She's  pretty 
first-rate  now,  an'  she  don't  walk  no  more  with  a 
cane,  on'y  comin'  up  an'  down  the  stairs.  I  never 
did  see  such  folks  to  have  long  ladders  of  stairs  as 
York  folks  is  ;  when  I  fust  come,  I  used  to  think  I 
wouldn't  never  get  to  the  top  of  'em  ;  an'  even  the 
poor  folks  here  has  to  go  a-pilin'  theirselves  up 
atop  of  stairs  as  high  as  a  mast,  one  lot  atop  of 
another.  Ye  get  up  near  the  sky  there  ;  not  that 
folks  is  so  good  an'  heavenly ;  no,  no ;  there's  on'y  a 
few  of  'em  that  way ; "  with  an  approving  nod  at 
father  and  uncle  Rutherford,  and  a  comprehensive 
wave  of  his  hand,  as  if  to  say  that  he  excepted 
from  his  adverse  criticism  both  of  his  present  com 
panions,  and  all  who  belonged  to  them  ;  "on'y  a 
few ;  but  they're  pintin'  straight  for  the  New  Jeru- 
sylern," —  another  nod  pointed  the  compliment. 
*'  Where  was  I  ?  Oh,  them  stairs.  Wa'l,  as  I 
was  a-sayin',  I  reckon  I've  had  'bout  enuf  of  'em, 
an'  I'd  like  to  be  home'where  I  can  be  down  onto 
the  flat  groun'  an'  not  like  to  what's  his  name's 
coffin,  what  I  heerd  the  boys  speakin'  about,  what 
got  hitched  half  way  up  to  heaven  an'  stuck  there. 
He's  a  fable  feller,  ov  course  ;  Mahomet,  that's 
his  name  ;  there  ain't  never  been  no  such  doin's 
sence  miracle  days  'cept  in  the  theayters  an'  them 


294  UNCLE  RUTPIERFORD'S  NIECES. 

places.  An'  t'other  night  Miss  Dodge,  she  asked 
me  would  I  go  to  the  opery,  an'  I  says  'yes.'  I 
was  boun'  to  see  all  there  was  to  see,  an'  we  went ; 
an'  such  a  goin'  up  stairs  as  there  was  there,  up 
an'  up  an'  up,  an'  when  we  got  there  I  thought 
we  might  ha'  stopped  sooner ;  for  down  below 
there  was  lots  of  folks  sittin'  an'  standin',  an'  I 
asked  Miss  Dodge  why  she  didn't  stop  onto  some 
of  them  floors,  three  or  four  of  'em  below,  an' 
she  kinder  smirked,  an'  says  it  costs  lots  to  go  in 
there.  Wa'l,  I  couldn't  make  out  what  they  was 
at  on  the  platform,  —  the  play  actors ;  it  wasn't 
half  so  nice  as  the  mother-in-law  actin' ;  they  did 
all  their  talkin'  to  singin',  an'  they  died  singin', 
an'  all  sorts  of  things ;  an'  there  was  a  old  man 
got  young  an'  fell  spooney  on  a  girl ;  an'  they 
all  got  foolisher  an'  foolisher,  an'  the  devil  was 
there,  an'  such  a  mix-up ;  an'  bimeby  the  girl,  she 
died  in  a  prison,  an'  angel  actin'  folks  come  down 
an'  took  her  up,  — leastways  was  takin'  her  up  to 
heaven,  —  an'  there  come  a  hitch,  an'  there  they 
stuck,  half  up,  half  down.  Miss  Dodge  said  there 
must  ha'  been  somethin'  wrong  with  the  machin 
ery  what  h'isted  'em  ;  an'  it  made  me  think  of 
that  feller's  coffin,  so  I  sung  out,  '  Mahomet's 
coffin  ! '  an'  the  folks,  some  larfed,  they  was  mostly 
boys  an'  young  fellers,  an'  some  few  below  looked 
up ;  an'  Miss  Dodge,  she  was  awful  affronted,  an' 
she  says  she  was  glad  enough  we  wasn't  below, 
she  would  ha'  been  too  mortified.  W'al,  that  ain't 


JIM'S  CONFESSION.  29$ 

nothin'  to  do  with  Miss  Yorke,  for  she  wasn't 
along  ;  she  couldn't  ha  dumb  so  high  ;  an'  I  never 
was  a  man  of  many  words,  so  I'll  get  to  my  p'int. 
As  I  was  a-sayin',  Miss  Yorke,  she  can't  go  home 
yet,  an'  she  can't  be  left  alone,  so  I've  got  to  stay 

on." 

Here  mamma  went  to  the  rescue  ;  for,  as  before, 
the  rest  of  the  family  were  gathered  in  the  next 
room,  and  heard  all  that  had  passed.  The  two 
gentlemen  had  allowed  the  captain  to  ramble  on, 
partly  because  he  amused  them  and  us,  partly 
because  they  knew  it  was  of  little  use  to  try  to 
stop  him  after  he  had  once  started  to  expound  his 
views  on  men  and  things. 

"  Captain,"  said  mamma,  joining  the  two  in  the 
library,  "Mrs.  Rutherford  and  I  thought  you  were 
growing  weary  of  the  city,  and  wanted  to  go  back 
home ;  so  we  have  arranged  a  little  plan  which 
may  suit  you  both,  and  will  certainly  suit  me  well. 
I  have  a  great  deal  of  sewing  to  be  done  now, 
which  I  should  like  to  have  done  in  the  house, 
and  Mrs.  Yorke  is  such  a  beautiful  seamstress 
that  I  should  be  glad  of  her  assistance.  Suppose 
that  she  comes  here.  I  can  give  her  accommoda 
tion  on  the  basement  floor,  so  that  she  need  not 
go  up  and  down  stairs  ;  and  Mammy  and  my  own 
seamstress  will  gladly  do  all  that  is  needful  for  her. 
Then  you  can  go  home  as  soon  as  you  choose. 
Will  you  ask  her  ?  " 

The  captain  gazed  for  a  minute  into  mother's 


296  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

face,  then  looked  from  her  to  father,  from  him  to 
uncle  Rutherford,  and  drew  a  long  breath. 

"Wa'l!"  he  ejaculated,  "when  you  folks  gets 
histed  to  heaven,  I  reckon  there  ain't  goin'  to  be 
no  hitch  in  the  histin'.  An'  them's  my  opinions." 

Having  delivered  himself  of  these  "opinions," 
he  rose,  shook  hands  with  mother,  father,  and  uncle 
Rutherford,  a  long  hard  shake,  expressive  of  his 
feelings ;  came  into  the  room  where  the  rest  of  us 
were  gathered,  and  went  through  the  same  cere 
mony  all  round ;  returned  to  the  library  and 
repeated  it,  then  once  more  back  to  the  drawing- 
room  for  a  second  pumping  of  each  arm,  and 
finally  managed  to  convey  himself  away ;  the  last 
words  which  father  heard  as  he  closed  the  door 
behind  him  being,  "No  hitch  in  that  histin'." 

Two  days  after,  Mrs.  Yorke  was  comfortably 
settled  in  our  basement,  and  industriously  plying 
her  needle  ;  the  captain  was  on  his  way  home  by 
water,  where  he  would  not  be  apt  to  go  astray ; 
while  at  a  very  few  hours'  notice  Theodore  had 
been  removed  from  the  one  school,  and  sent  to 
the  other. 

"Miss  Milly,"  said  Jim,  meeting  my  sister  in 
the  hall  on  the  afternoon  of  the  day  on  which  he 
had  learned  that  his  rival  had  been  taken  from  the 
school  they  had  both  attended,  and  speaking  in 
evident  but  repressed  excitement,  "Miss  Milly, 
they  say  Theodore  Yorke  has  left  school  for  good. 
Has  he,  Miss  Milly  ? " 


JIM'S  CONFESSION.  2Q/ 

"He  has  left  your  school,  and  been  sent  to 
another,  Jim,  where  you  will  not  be  likely  to  meet 
him  soon  again,"  answered  Milly. 

"  And  they  say  it's  an  awful  strict  school,  Miss 
Milly,  a  kind  of  a  bad-boy  school,  where  a  feller 
don't  get  half  so  much  chance  as  he  does  in  ours." 

"I  think  the  discipline  is  very  strict,  Jim," 
replied  his  young  mistress. 

"And,"  wistfully,  "he  was  sent  there  because 
of  what  he  done  —  I  mean,  did  —  to  Matty  ?  " 

Even  in  the  midst  of  excitement,  Jim  was 
becoming  careful  to  correct  himself  when  he 
lapsed  inadvertently  into  any  inaccuracies  of 
speech. 

Milly  hesitated  for  a  moment,  but  she  thought 
that  the  lesson  might  possibly  point  a  moral,  and 
she  answered,  — 

"  Yes,  for  that  especially,  Jim.  It  was  his 
crowning  offence  ;  but  Theodore  is  not  a  good, 
upright  boy,  and  it  was  thought  better  to  remove 
him  to  another  and  a  stricter  school." 

"  Thank  you'm,"  said  the  lad  as  he  walked  away 
with  a  crestfallen  air  which  much  surprised  Milly. 
Was  he  going  to  take  so  much  to  heart  the 
absence  of  the  boy  between  whom  and  himself 
there  had  waged  a  constant  state  of  warfare  ever 
since  they  had  first  met?  Amy  must  be  right, 
thought  Milly,  and  there  must  be  something 
behind  these  singular  moods  of  Jim's.  Was  it 
possible  that  he,  too,  had  fallen  into  temptation 


298  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

and  sin,  and,  seeing  with  what  consequences  these 
had  been  fraught  for  Theodore,  was  now  trembling 
for  himself  ?  She  could  hardly  believe  this,  Jim 
had  proved  himself  so  frank  and  upright ;  but 
there  must  be  something  which  he  was  hiding, 
and  this  was  the  only  solution  at  which  she  could 
arrive. 

But  she  was  not  kept  much  longer  in  doubt. 

Jim  slept  over  the  matter  upon  his  mind  and 
conscience,  and  the  next  morning,  which  happened 
to  be  Saturday,  and  therefore  a  holiday,  came  to 
her,  and  requested  a  private  interview. 

The  request  was  readily  granted  ;  and,  taking 
him  aside,  Milly  waited  with  more  anxiety  than 
can  well  be  appreciated  by  those  who  did  not 
know  her  interest  in  the  boy. 

"Miss  Milly,"  he  said,  shifting  uneasily  from 
one  foot  to  the  other,  and  twisting  his  hands 
nervously  together  as  he  stood  before  her,  "  Miss 
Milly,  I've  got  something  I  ought  to  tell  you." 

"  Well,  Jim  ?  "  said  Milly  encouragingly. 

"  I  don'  know  what  you're  goin'  to  think  of  me, 
miss,"  he  answered  with  a  very  shamed  face. 

"  If  you  have  done  wrong,  Jim,  and  are  ready 
to  confess  it  now,  I  shall  not  be  very  severe  with 
you,  —  you  know  that,  Jim,"  said  Milly.  "  You  are 
in  some  trouble.  I  have  seen  for  a  long  time  that 
you  had  something  on  your  mind  ;  if  you  tell  me, 
I  may  be  able  to  help  you  out  of  it." 

"  I  ain't  in  no  scrape,  Miss  Milly,  if  that's  what 


JIM'S  CONFESSION.  299 

you  mean,"  said  the  boy  ;  "  only  —  only  —  it's  a 
mean  kind  of  a  thing,  an'  I've  got  to  tell.  'Tain't 
fair  for  me  to  keep  it  to  myself  any  longer.  Bill's 
the  only  other  feller  knows.  It's  going  to  take 
my  chance,  for  sure ;  but  all  the  same,  I've  got  to 
tell.  I  ain't  so  afraid  of  you  as  of —  some  others." 
He  paused  again,  and  again  Milly  had  to  re-assure 
and  encourage  him,  bidding  him  remember  that 
others  as  well  as  herself  had  his  good  and  interest 
at  heart,  and  that  he  had  already  tested  these 
and  not  found  them  wanting. 

"  I  know,  Miss  Milly,"  he  answered,  "but  I  can't 
bear  for  you  or  none  of  the  family  to  think  me 
a  sneak,  an'  that's  what  I  feel  I've  been  now. 
'Twasn't  fair,  an'  now  I  know  it.  I  did  know  it 
all  along,  on'y  I  wouldn't  let  on." 

"Well,  come,  Jim,"  said  Milly,  determined  to 
bring  him  to  the  point  without  any  more  of  this 
shilly-shallying  which  was  exceedingly  unlike  Jim  ; 
"you  must  tell  me  at  once  if  you  wish  to  do  so, 
for  I  have  an  engagement,  and  shall  have  to  leave 
you  very  soon." 

"  Well,  miss,"  he  replied,  thus  urged,  "  I  found 
out — don't  you  be  ashamed  of  me,  Miss  Milly  — 
I  found  out  about  how  Mr.  Rutherford  was  goin' 
to  give  a  big  thing,  some  kind  of  a  thing  in  the 
way  of  eddication,  to  me  or  Theodore  Yorke, 
whichever  turned  out  best  this  year  at  school,  an' 
how  he  thought  Theodore  was  a  sneak,  an'  me  too 
hot-tempered,  an'  always  ready  for  a  fight,  —  an' 


30O  UNCLE  RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

how  he  was  goin'  to  see  which  did  the  best,  not 
on'y  in  his  learnin',  but  in  his  conduck,  quite 
without  us  knowin'  about  what  was  afore  us,  an' 
then  give  that  one  this  big  thing.  And,  Miss 
Milly,  you  an'  Mr.  Rutherford,  an'  the  rest  of 
the  fam'ly,  maybe,  thought  me  doin'  well,  an'  tak- 
in'  care  of  my  temper.  An'  maybe  so  I  was ;  but 
it  was  'cause  I  was  boiind  to  beat  Theodore,  an' 
not  let  him  get  that  prize.  I  felt  awful  mean  all 
along  ;  but  now  Theodore's  cut  up  so,  an'  got  sent 
off,  an'  he  never  knew  nothin'  about  it,  or  maybe 
he'd  done  better,  an'  I  don't  feel  it's  fair  in  me.  I 
knew,  an'  he  didn't.  I  stood  a  lot  from  Theodore, 
an'  didn't  fly  out  at  him  on'y  once  or  twice  that 
you  know  about ;  but  I  wouldn't  ha'  stood  it, 
an'  there's  many  a  time  I  would  ha'  fought  him 
an'  the  other  boys,  too,  on'y  for  thinkin'  of  that. 
So,  you  see,  I  did  get  more  chance  at  the  begin 
ning  than  him,  an'  'tain't  fair  in  me.  An'  I  thought 
to  myself,  If  you're  goin'  to  do  a  mean  thing  like 
this  to  get  a  hitch  in  life,  how  you  goin'  to  get  fit 
to  be  President  ?  If  you  see  somebody  doin'  a 
sneaky  or  dishonest  thing,  you  can't  have  the  face 
to  pull  him  up  an'  send  him  to  prison," — as  may 
be  seen,  Jim's  ideas  of  the  Presidential  authority 
were  that  it  was  unlimited  and  autocratic,  — 
"when  you  know  you  got  there  yourself  on  the 
sly  ;  an'  I  wouldn't  feel  fit  for  it.  So  there  wasn't 
no  comfort  in  it  one  way  or  another  ;  an'  I  made 
up  my  mind  I'd  tell  you,  an'  you  can  tell  Mr. 


JIM'S   CONFESSION.  3OI 

Rutherford ;  an'  anyhow  I'll  come  out  fair  an* 
even  chances  with  Theodore.  Mr.  Rutherford 
will  maybe  think  this  is  worse  than  fightin'  an' 
blowin'  out  ? "  interrogatively  and  wistfully. 

Milly  had  let  him  go  on  without  interruption 
when  she  had  once  succeeded  in  starting  him,  and 
had  asked  no  questions  ;  now  she  said,  — 

"I  think,  Jim,  that  Mr.  Rutherford  will  be 
pleased  that  you  had  so  far  the  mastery  over  your 
self  that  you  would  not  take  what  you  considered 
an  unfair  advantage  over  Theodore.  I  am  glad, 
truly  glad  that  you  have  succeeded  in  learning  to 
control  your  temper ;  but  still  more  glad  that  your 
sense  of  honor  and  right  led  you  to  tell  of  this. 
But  how  did  you  learn  of  Mr.  Rutherford's  plan  ?  " 

Jim  related  how  Bill,  overhearing  the  conversa 
tion,  or  at  least  a  part  of  it,  on  the  evening  on 
which  the  matter  had  been  discussed  by  the  family, 
had  been  the  medium  of  communication,  and  how 
they  had  both  resolutely  guarded  their  knowledge 
of  it  until  now  ;  when  Jim  had  told  his  comrade 
that  he  must  make  confession,  and  put  himself,  as 
he  thought,  on  equal  ground  with  his  antagonist 
and  unconscious  rival. 

"  I  didn't  do  it  for  no  good  feelin'  to  Theodore, 
Miss  Milly,"  he  added,  "for  I  b'lieve  I  just  hate 
Theodore.  I  didn't  feel  none  too  good  to  him  ever 
since  first  I  seen  him,  an'  the  more  I  saw  him  the 
worse  I  got  to  like  him  ;  but  all  the  same,  I'd  got 
to  be  fair  to  him  when  it  come  —  came  —  to  his 


302  UNCLE   RUTHERFORD'S  NIECES. 

chance  bein'  lost.  If  I  couldn't  take  care  of  my 
self  that  way,  I  ain't  goin'  to  be  fit  to  take  care  of 
these  United  States.  Miss  Milly,  you'll  tell  Mr. 
Rutherford  ?  I  could  tell  you,  but  I  couldn't 
tell  him." 

Milly  answered  him  that  she  would  be  the  bearer 
of  his  confession  ;  and  left  him,  much  relieved  her 
self  to  find  that  he  had  been  guilty  of  nothing 
more  serious,  and  thankful  from  her  very  heart  to 
see  that  her  teachings  and  his  newly-awakened 
sense  of  justice  would  not  allow  him  to  take  unfair 
advantage  of  another,  even  though  that  other 
might  be  one  whom  he  considered  an  enemy. 
She  lost  no  time  in  seeking  uncle  Rutherford, 
and  telling  him  all,  so  that  the  boy  might  not  be 
in  suspense  longer  than  was  necessary ;  for  she 
well  knew  that  he  would  find  a  lenient  judge  in 
our  uncle. 

Nor  was  she  wrong.  Uncle  Rutherford  sent  for 
Jim,  and  taking  the  boy's  hand,  shook  it  heartily, 
as  he  said,  "  My  boy,  you  have  gained  the  mastery 
over  yourself,  and  no  man  can  achieve  a  greater 
victory.  I  could  wish  that  you  had  tried  to  keep 
control  over  your  temper  from  a  better  and  higher 
motive  than  the  wish  to  outstrip  Theodore ;  but 
we  may  trust  that  you  will  set  that  before  yourself 
now.  Go  on  as  you  have  begun,  and  the  scholar 
ship  is  yours  in  good  time.  My  best  wishes  go 
with  you,  and  I  sincerely  trust  that  you  may  win 
the  prize." 


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